


Wonders of the Multiverse

by Elenduen



Category: Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Any trolls who comment will either be ignored or made fun of, Brief Mention of Past Child Abuse, Crossover, Dad Steve, Data dump, EMH Steve is a sweetheart, Earths Mightiest Heroes/MCU, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Homophobia, Howard Stark's A+ Parenting, Insecure Tony, M/M, Not MCU Avengers Friendly, Not MCU Steve Rogers friendly, Not Wanda Friendly, Protective Steve, Real Captain Steve Rogers, Romance, Steve Needs a Hug, Tony Needs a Hug, post Age of Ultron
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-05
Updated: 2019-06-28
Packaged: 2019-09-12 11:48:08
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 22
Words: 51,175
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16872378
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Elenduen/pseuds/Elenduen
Summary: Following Ultron Tony is alone rebuilding the Tower when Earths Mightiest Heroes Steve Rogers appears in his lab with a baby in his arms. His World has been destroyed by Thanos, Reed Richards got him and the baby out at the last minute so he and the baby could live and hopefully warn another world of the potential danger.Tony invites EMH Steve to stay with his daughter, something that doesn't please MCU Steve, but he has other worries, as Tony is going through the Data Dumped files and comes across the Winter Soldier's hit of his parents. Cutting contact with the Avengers, Tony grows closer to EMH Steve and together they begin to build a team to face Thanos, and The Avengers when they come to an inevitable confrontation with Tony.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [TheCaliforniaPhantom](https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheCaliforniaPhantom/gifts).



Earths Mightiest Heroes Universe.

 

Everything was burning. The sky, the air, the whole world was in ashes. 

The Avengers had fought to very end, all the heroes had. Laying down their lives side by side with the military to try and defeat Thanos and his overwhelming forces. 

Thor was already gone. He had fallen when Asgard had fallen, shortly before Thanos had come to earth. 

Miss Marvel had given her all against him in the first wave, falling, along with Yellow Jacket, Wasp, and Spider Man. 

Tony had been heart broken when Peter had died, it had taken Steve over an hour to pry Tony’s arms from Peter’s body, the Billionaire just hadn’t been able to let him go. 

Thing had just gotten worse from there. 

Wolverine had died next, then Rhodey with the air force, T’Challa fell soon after, as Wakanda was overwhelmed. Black Widow and Hawkeye had taken after that, and Hulk had died trying to avenge his friend. 

Steve and Tony had tried to rally the forces that were left. The Fantastic four were now down to just Reed and Sue. Luke Cage was still standing, just, as was Vision. They allied with the remained X-Men and threw themselves into the final battle. The one that took Tony from Steve’s side. 

Tony had died trying to shield civilians from a falling building, that Thanos’ forces had destroyed. With his armour badly compromised from battle, it didn’t stand up to the force of the falling rubble and Tony was crushed beneath the debris. 

It had taken Steve, and Vision over three hours to dig his body out. Reed hadn’t been able to help them, he’d been sobbing over Sue’s broken body. Steve had carried Tony’s body from the devastated remains of Long Island. Carrying him, with Vision following silently, and Reed carrying Sue’s body. 

They went to the Backster Building. The Tower and The Mansion were already gone. 

Pepper was there, with little Lily in her arms. She had broken down in tears when she’d seen Tony in Steve’s arms, his body limp and bloody. Happy Hogan was there, in the medical floor, his legs gone, and slowly dying of internal bleeding that just wouldn’t stop.

They all grieved for Tony together, cremating his body along with Sue’s and scattering their ashes to the winds. 

It was from the Backster Building they saw Thanos’ army swam the earth, sweeping through the defences like a relentless tsunami. 

Vision, having spent days locked up with Reed in the lab, went and gave his last stand against Thanos, getting ripped apart by the mad Titan as he tried to defend one of the few remaining emergency shelters. His sacrifice was noble, but it afforded nothing, the shelter was slaughtered along with the Android. 

Steve braced himself, preparing for the end, when Reed dragged him into his lab, talking ten to the dozen as he pulled Steve along, babbling about a portal and somewhere for Steve to go. 

“It has to be you,” Reed said, “I have to man the controls, Pepper doesn’t want to go, not without Happy, and he’s too injured to leave the bed. Someone has to survive, after all, you have Lily to think about,” Steve looked down at the seven month old in his arms, the little girl was sleeping contentedly, completely unaware of what was happening around her. Steve envied her that, wished he could be so innocent. 

“There are other worlds Steve,” Reed said, “Ones you can go to, in fact there is one that his practically a mirror to ours. You can warn them of what’s coming, of Thanos. Prevent this happening in that world, and give Lily a chance to grow up,”

Steve looked up from his daughter, gazing into Reed’s tired eyes, “I don’t know if I can survive,” he said, “I’ve lost everything Reed! My Husband, my friends, my home, I’ll be all alone again, in a world I don’t belong in!”

Reed rested a hand on Steve’s shoulder, “I know,” he said, gently, “But there is no other choice, and, you won’t be alone, you have your daughter, she is counting on you to survive, she needs you Steve, you have to live. For her.”

Steve felt tired, so very tired. He wanted to say no, to go and join Pepper in the infirmary by Happy’s bedside and wait for the end. But he couldn’t do that, he couldn’t condemn Lily. It was bad enough she’d lost her Daddy, would soon loose her Mother, she didn’t need to loose her Papa and her life. 

“Alright,” he said, “Lets do it.”

 

*****

 

MCU 

 

Tony had finally finished clearing up the last of the debris left by Ultron. 

It had taken him the better part of a week to do that, and another ten days to make the floors habitable again. But at least the work had kept him from thinking, from dwelling on his fucked up life. 

He was finished with the Avengers. No longer fit to be Iron Man. He had proven to the courts that he was not directly responsible for Ultron, that the intelligence had already been present in the sceptre before he and Bruce had done anything. The scans they had on it had triggered something “Magical” for want of a better term and it had latched onto the Ultron programme that Bruce and Tony had been developing, attacked Jarvis and stolen one of the Iron Legion suites to create itself a body. 

This didn’t stop Tony from feeling guilty, or Bruce it seemed, since he’d disappeared. Though Tony suspected part of that was because of Steve’s “Brilliant” idea of adding Wanda to the team.

“She’s lost everything Tony, she needs us, she deserves a chance,”

Yeah, a chance. A mind rapist, a Hydra volunteer. Steve had let a wolf into his home and didn’t realize that sooner or later it would turn around and rip his throat out. 

That vicious little bitch hated him, Tony knew that. She blamed him for her parents deaths. A Stark Bomb. He’d never sold to anyone but the US Military. But Stane had. Tony suspected it was one that he’d sold and was looking into it, along with all the Shield files he’d amassed after the data dump. 

There was an endless amount to go through, and with him not being an Avenger anymore he had more time to spare on them, especially on the Winter Soldier, whom he was still trying to search for. 

If he found Bucky, then perhaps it would be an olive branch between himself and Steve. 

Well, he could hope so anyway. 

 

Finishing the last of the security updates, Tony rose from his seat, taking his cup to go and get a coffee, not trusting Dumm-E, Butterfingers, or YOU to get him one, he wanted to drink it, not use it to grease engine parts!

“Jar…, Friday, are there any messages?” he asked, nearly calling her Jarvis again, God he missed Jarvis. He didn’t resent Vision, was proud of what the last of Jarvis had become, but he still missed his AI. 

“One from Boss Lady, a reminder about the Stark Phone mark seven needing to be completed by the end of the week,” Friday replied. Tony winced. Pepper was still keeping a distance from him since their break up. Was only being professional with him. He hoped that one day they’d get their friendship back, but for now, professionalism was all he could hope for. 

 

Sighing, he poured a cup of coffee and lifted it to his lips to take a sip, only to drop the cup, shattering it on the floor, as a blinding white light exploded in the lab, a swirling vortex appeared in the centre of the light, spreading out until it was six foot by six foot. 

“Friday, Suit!” Tony yelled, recognizing it as a portal, 

“On it Boss,” Friday replied, moments later the gauntlets were on his hands, the chest plate was closing around his torso and the boots were enclosing his feet. The helmet had just come down over his head when a figure came through the portal, shocking Tony into freezing on the spot. 

The Portal sputtered and flared for a moment, then faded away leaving the figure standing in Tony’s lab. 

Tony stared at the man, hardly able to believe what he was seeing, it didn’t make any sense, yet there was no denying the person before him, the man who had walked through a portal into his lab. Steven Grant Rogers. 

 

Wetting his lips Tony retracted the face plate, ordering Friday to remove the suit and stand down. 

Steve, this Steve swallowed hard and managed a weak smile, “Hi Tony,” he greeted, “I, well, uh, it’s a long story,” Tony nodded his head then startled as the bundle in Steve’s arms gave a cry, he realized, belatedly that it wasn’t a bundle but a baby!

“Hey Lily, it’s alright, we’re safe now,” Steve cooed to her, he became impossibly tender and gentle that he completely belied his size. He was bigger than the Steve that Tony knew. His shoulders were easily a foot wider than the Steve from this reality, he was a couple of inches taller too, his eyes were darker a more brilliant and vivid blue than the pale baby blues that this reality’s Steve had, and he was older. 

Where in physical terms the Steve Rogers native to this reality was in his late twenties. This new Steve looked to be in the late thirties by Tony’s reckoning, he also held an air of maturity and worldliness that the younger Steve did not. 

Tony was broken out of his staring when this new Steve looked up at him, his face creased with worry, “She’s hungry, I don’t have any food for her,”

“Oh!” Tony’s eyes widened, “Uh, Fri, order baby food and whatever else is needed for babies, nappies and cots and clothes, and Clothes for…, Steve? it is Steve I take it?” 

“It is, Captain Steven Grant Rogers of the US Army, and Captain America of the Avengers,” he sagged, his face falling, “Or I was,” There was a story there, a terrible explanation for why he was here, and Tony would ask him, but right now, the baby needed feeding. 

 

“Come on,” he said, giving this new Steve a friendly smile, “Let’s go and see if I’ve anything we can give her until the baby foods delivered,” blinking back the tears that were shining in his brilliant blue eyes, Steve nodded his head, following Tony out of the lab and up into the common area. 

 

**** 

The only food that Tony had suitable for the baby was a banana, which he mashed down with a fork and some milk that he heated in the microwave. 

He sat at the kitchen counter, watching as Steve carefully fed the little girl tiny pieces of banana and little drops of milk from a tea spoon. 

“Is she your daughter?” he asked, curiously, 

“Yeah,” Steve said, “Well, adopted, biologically she’s Tony and Pepper’s…,” he paused, “I mean, my reality’s Tony and Pepper. She acted as surrogate for us, me and Tony I mean. I couldn’t be sure what effect the serum would have on a baby, so Tony donated… what was needed,” 

Tony’s eyes widened. He and Steve had a baby together? He and Steve had been together? 

“I take it you and your Steve aren’t…,”

“No, God no!” Tony said, letting out a little laugh, “He’s straight, and even if he wasn’t I’d be the last person he’d want to be with,” He tried to say it as a joke, as thought it didn’t sting, but in truth, Steve Rogers holier than thou disapproving attitude towards him did hurt. Tony had never been ashamed of his sexuality before, but Steve had a way of making him feel that way when it came to his liking men and women. Really it was just another thing that Steve disapproved of, along with the drinking, the sass, the sarcasm, the way he threw his money around. Iron Man was probably the only thing that Steve didn’t disapprove of and he’d gone and fucked that right up as well hadn’t he? 

“Where is he?” Steve asked, “Your Steve I mean, and the other Avengers?”

“Oh they’re up state, in the compound,” At Steve’s frown Tony explained, “There was a bad fight recently, an AI called Ultron, my fault, and I’ve left the Avengers.”

“Your fault? You built him?” Steve seemed surprised by this, though he still knew of Ultron, 

“It didn’t go that way in your world?” 

“No, Hank Pym created Ultron. When we tangled with an Alien called Kang, the system got corrupted and he turned evil. We eventually managed to defeat him, but Hank left the Avengers, gave up being Antman, though he did become an unofficial Avenger again, Yellow Jacket,” Steve smiled fondly, “He and Tony had some cracking arguments. I think they went out of their way to annoy each other, and Reed? God him and Tony were always at each others throats!” The fond smile turned wistful, “Their gone now,” he murmured, looking down at Lily, focusing on feeding her the banana, “Everyone is, but me and Lily,”

Tony felt a painful lump build in his throat, before he even knew what he was doing he had reached out and placed his hand on Steve’s arm, gently squeezing the impressive bicep, “You’re welcome to stay here, as long as you want,” 

“I wouldn’t want to impose,” Steve said, sniffing a bit, and shifting Lily in his arms, Tony’s eyes were drawn to her. His daughter, or that Tony’s daughter. She was beautiful, truly perfect. 

“You aren’t imposing,” he said, looking back up to Steve, “I’ll be happy to have you both,”

The smile Steve gave him was more generous and heart felt than ever the Steve from this reality had given him, and the gratitude far more genuine, “Thank you Tony, I’m very grateful for this,” 

“Boss Man, the deliveries are here,” Friday chirped, 

“Thanks,” Tony said, getting to his feet, he waved off Steve saying he’d help bring the stuff in, telling him to concentrate on feeding Lily. As he headed down in the lift, he thought about the look of loss and grief on this new Steve’s face. The poor man had clearly lost everything. Tony didn’t know what had happened in his reality, but he could guess it was nothing good, the least he could do for this poor man was to offer him a home for himself and his daughter, their daughter. 

Now that really was mind boggling. 

How he was going to explain all this to Pepper and Rhodey, never mind the Avengers, Tony had no idea, but for tonight at least he would concentrate on getting Steve and Lily settled, then face the rest of the world tomorrow.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To save off confusion. MCU Steve will be referred to as Rogers, while EMH Steve will be Steve.

Stark Tower

 

Steve was the first to wake, the following morning. 

He didn’t remember where he was when he first opened his eyes, then the events of the following day came back to him. 

He let out a deep exhale and just stared up at the ceiling above the bed. What was he going to do? He didn’t belong here, this wasn’t his world. His world had burned and he was the only one left. 

A whimper on his left reminded him that he was not the only one left, Lily was here too. 

Stretching, he got off the bed, and someone groaned from beside him. Steve paused and saw a sleepy and rumpled Tony Stark coming too from where he’d fallen asleep on the bed besides Steve the night before. 

The two of them had been talking well into the night, comparing the differences between Steve’s world and this one. Apparently it hadn’t been the Avengers who had found him and thawed him out in this world, it had been Shield, and for a time this worlds Steve Rogers had worked for Shield, which, had been infested by Hydra. He and the Black Widow had taken down Hydra, but also destroyed Shield in the process and compromised America’s national security. 

The team that Tony had described did not sound like the dysfunctional family that he had known in his world. Family really had been the best way to describe them. Tony had been equal parts the Mum and eccentric Uncle, depending on his mood and the amount of sleep he’d had. 

Clint had been the epitome of the naughty little brother. Hulk and Thor had been the badass big brothers that no one wanted to mess with. 

Jan had been the big sister. 

T’Challa had been the enigmatic Uncle, and Natasha the mysterious Aunt. Carol the super cool cousin, and Steve as the Dad. 

It had been Clint, unsurprisingly, who had come up with these titles, taking great pleasure in calling Tony Iron-Mom! The pillow fight/fist fight that had followed had been ridiculous to say the least.

 

Lily’s demanding cries served to bring Steve out of his reverie, and he bent down into the cot, lifting her up, “What’s wrong with her?” 

The question took Steve slightly by surprise, and he turned, seeing Tony, half awake, yawning, and scratching his head. It was an adorable sight that struck a pang in Steve, as he recalled similar occasions with his Tony, the Tony who was gone now, lost to him, along with the rest of his world. 

Lily’s disgruntled cries grew louder and Steve secured her in his arms, “She’s hungry,” he said, recognizing the pitch she gave when she wanted feeding, 

“Best get her some breakfast then,” Tony said, sliding off the bed, he staggered towards the door, uncoordinated and disoriented with his half asleep state, something that Steve suspected would not change until he’d downed a gallon of coffee, God knows his Tony had never been able to function without drinking pounds of coffee every day, his blood content had to have been at least three parts coffee! 

Steve’s suspicions were proven correct, as he sat at the kitchen counter, feeding Lily her breakfast, while Tony downed a succession of three cups of coffee in the time it took Steve to drink one!

At least some things had stayed the same, he mused, taking a good look at this Tony. 

He was older than his own Tony had been, in the mid-forties, rather than his thirties. He was smaller too. His Tony had been six feet tall, his chest and shoulders broad and muscular. 

This Tony was petit, about Five ft Nine inches by Steve’s reckoning, his arms and shoulders were firm with muscle, but he was skinnier than Steve’s Tony had been, too skinny, by the way his jeans and vest were hanging off his shoulders and hips, he’d lost weight recently, leaving him bordering on being gaunt. 

He was also darker than Steve’s Tony. His eyes were a rich chocolate brown, when Steve’s Tony’s eyes had been a golden hazel, his hair a dark brown, where this Tony’s hair was jet black. 

But the face shape, the caffeine addiction, the incredible generosity, they were all painfully familiar. 

“So, I thought we should probably go and speak to the Avengers, before letting the world know about you and Lily,” Tony said to him, going to pour himself a fourth cup of coffee, “I’ll do a press conference and handle letting the public know as soon as the Avengers are in the picture,” he paused, turning and gave Steve an uncertain look, “So long as you’re alright with that?” 

That was another difference. Steve’s Tony had never been so uncertain that he’d be second guessing himself, nor did he ever have that earnest, bordering on desperate desire to please in his eyes that this Tony did. At least, not until the aftermath of The Purple Man. 

In the weeks following Zebediah Killgrave’s attack on Tony, enslaving his mind and forcing him to conquer the entire world, Tony had been a shell of himself, terrified that he was going to turn into a super-villain, become the evil dictator that Killgrave had made him into. He had thrown himself into work for SI, into his duties as Iron Man, locking himself in his lab when he wasn’t fighting with the Avengers, completely neglecting himself to the point that his health had began to suffer. 

Pepper had begged him to get help, Rhodey had tried to reason with him, both no avail. Tony had been determined to self-destruct, to bury himself in work until it finally crushed him. Eventually his body hadn’t been able to take anymore and he’d collapsed, being rushed to hospital, sick with malnutrition, dehydration, and exhaustion. 

 

Naturally, as soon as he’d been conscious he’d signed himself out of the hospital, intending to go straight back to work, but Steve had been ready for him, blocking his entry to his lab, demanding that he go to bed, get some much needed sleep and start eating properly again. 

An argument had ensued, Tony’s pride and desire to keep on punishing himself preventing him from giving in to Steve. They had stood there for several minutes, Tony getting angrier and more agitated until finally he’d tried to shove past Steve, resulting in his getting picked up from the ground and carried to bed, with Steve ignoring all of his protests and depositing him on his bed, determinedly pinning him down when he’d tried to struggle to get back up and demanded to know why Tony was so set on destroying himself. 

That had finally broken down the last of Tony’s walls. He’d broken down into tears, ended up sobbing in Steve’s arms, all his fears spilling out as he clung to him, crying himself out on Steve’s chest as he rubbed Tony’s back and comforted him, promising him that it would never happen, that everyone had darkness in them, but it was a choice to give in to it, to become evil, not something that happened by inevitability. 

Steve wasn’t sure who had started the kissing, himself or Tony, but they had ended up in bed together, making love for the first time, and that had been the start of their relationship, which had grown in strength, leading to marriage, and Lily’s birth. 

Seeing this Tony, displaying the same kind of self-conscious uncertainty as his Tony had during those horrid weeks, made Steve want to offer the same comfort he had his Tony. But he couldn’t do that, this was not his Tony, so far as he knew, this Tony had no interest in men, could be in a relationship with someone else. So, instead of going over to Tony and wrapping his arms about him as he longed to do, Steve offered a warm smile, 

“That will be fine, thank you,” 

“Great, then I should go and get ready,” Tony said, making to depart, but here Steve intervened,

“Not without breakfast you’re not,” he ordered, balancing Lily in one arm and pushing Tony down into a seat with his free hand, “I’ll bet you haven’t eaten in far too long,”

“Not true,” Tony said, pouting, “I ate last night with you!”

Steve snorted, as he located eggs, bacon, flour, and milk. Pancakes and bacon for breakfast, he decided. “A single slice of pizza does not qualify as a meal, Tony,” he said, with practised patience, heaven knows his Tony had never eaten properly unless forced to by others, believing that he could survive on coffee and stubbornness alone.

“It so totally does,” Tony grumbled, slurping his coffee, a noise that made Lily giggle, she extended her hands towards Tony, wriggling and looking hopeful. To her, this was her other Father, he looked similar enough that her infant mind had accepted him as her Father without question. 

“Would you mind?” Steve asked, offering Lily to Tony, who looked alarmed, 

“Umm, no but.., I’ve never held a baby,” Tony admitted, looking at Lily like she might break if he touched her. Carefully he took her into his arms, holding her with fear of dropping or damaging her somehow. “Uh, hi Lily, I’m Tony,” he stammered at the baby girl, who cooed at him, reaching out with a chubby hand to tug on his goatee, “Okay, oww, no beard pulling,” he complained, balancing her on one arm and taking her tiny hand into his own, surprised by the grip she had when she latched onto his fingers, “You’re strong aren’t you, little one?” he said, grinning at her, “I’ll bet you’re going to be a terror when you start walking,”

Steve watched the interaction as he set the bacon frying and prepared the pancake batter, a smile playing on his lips, as Tony chatted to Lily easily, the baby giggling and cooing at him, just as she did with his Tony. It was a bittersweet moment, but Steve determinedly pushed aside his grief and focused on his daughters happiness. At the end of the day, he knew that Tony would have wanted her to be happy, for him to be happy, so he would do his best to build himself a life here and make the best of it. 

 

***** 

 

Avengers Compound

 

Tony called ahead to the compound, to let the team know he was heading there, and that there was something important they had to talk about, but he didn’t tell the team about Steve and Lily until they had arrived. 

Shock was the first reaction from the Avengers team, upon seeing the alternate reality Steven Rogers, standing besides Tony, with baby Lily in her new pram, dressed in a new baby grow, and gazing around at the new building with large, curious eyes. 

The shock quickly turned to anger and suspicion, that Steve was surprised to see directed at Tony.

“What the hell have you done now Stark?” Natasha demanded, “Haven’t you caused enough problems, lately?”

Tony winced and visibly recoiled at the reprimand. 

“Who are you?” Rogers growled, glaring at Steve, who was still taken aback by the attitude here, not to mention Scarlet Witch. In his world she had been a villain, a terrorist in league with her Brother and Hydra. Tony had said that she was turning over a new leaf in this reality, but the similarities between his Wanda Maximoff and this one, did not convince Steve that she was any different. 

At his counter parts question, Steve stood up to his full height, amused to see that he was taller this thing younger version of himself. 

“Captain Steven Grant Rogers, US Army, aka Captain America,” he replied, “You?”

Surprise flashed through baby blue eyes that was quickly replaced by suspicion, “What, how..?” he looked to Tony, “What is going on?” 

“He, they are from an alternate reality, Cap,” Tony replied, “He arrived last night with Lily. They are the only survivors of a planetary destruction,” 

The young man standing behind Rogers, paled at Tony’s words, “Planetary destruction?” he whispered, looking stricken, “There’s no one else?” 

Steve shook his head, sadly, “No. Reed Richards was able to make a portal to this reality. He had to stay behind to man the controls. Everyone else had already fallen, Tony, my Tony, he died a few days ago,” He had to swallow past the painful lump in his throat as he thought of his husband. A hand touched his shoulder and he glanced to the left, seeing Tony offering him a reassuring smile. 

“What happened?” Rogers asked, as horrified as the young man, Sam, Steve thought his name was, at the mention of Steve’s earths destruction. 

“Thanos,” Steve said, “The mad Titan. He was hell bent on destroying our world, along with half the universe, and he had an army, the Chitauri, and many allies capable of doing it.”

The tension in the room seemed to increase at this, silence falling until Vision spoke up, “It seems we have a lot to talk about.”


	3. Chapter 3

Steve balanced Lily in his arms, sitting at the conference room table, before the Avengers team, with Tony by his side. 

Slowly he recounted Thanos’ invasion in his world. How his forces had completely overwhelmed them, how one by one everyone had fallen, including the Avengers. 

He managed to keep from shedding tears by sheer will alone. Just thinking about Tony was heart breaking, he still saw him as clearly as if he were right by his sider even now. Could remember every detail, how his eyes crinkled and creased when he smiled brightly, the wicked cackle of his laugh. How his hair curled in the nap of his neck if he didn’t cut it, how it would flop over his forehead and caress his brow. How his eyes would darken, and his pupils expand when he was aroused. 

He could recall the feel of Tony’s flesh when his hands had spanned his back, picture the relaxed pose of his face when he slept. Taste his breath and kisses upon his lips. Hear the sound of his cries as they lay together, smell the scent of his aftershave, mixed with coffee, motor oil, and heated metal. 

The memories were as haunting as a ghost, and while Steve knew, that in time they would bring him solace, that he would remember these things with a smile and take pleasure in them, right now his grief was still to raw, the loss to fresh in his mind for him to find anything by sorrow. 

 

“No one survived?” It was Sam who spoke, his voice cutting through the silence and startling everyone. 

“No one,” Steve said, “The end was coming when Reed shoved me through the portal with Lily, everyone was gone by then, save perhaps for a few civilians in hiding, waiting to burn with the rest of the planet.”

“Dear God,” Sam whispered, looking sickened. He wasn’t the only one. Looking around, the rest of the Avengers looking as horrified by Steve’s tale as Sam did. Even Tony, who had already heard the story. 

He gave Steve a reassuring smile, “You’re safe here, and you and Lily are more than welcome in the tower,” Lily cooed her happiness at this and stretched out her hands towards Tony, squirming in Steve’s arms, wanting to go to the man she felt was her other Father. 

“Would you mind?” Steve asked, knowing that if she didn’t get her way, Lily would start crying in displeasure. Fortunately Tony took her happily, rising from his seat to bounce her, making the baby laugh in delight. 

“Hmm, I wouldn’t have thought you’d have it in you to be any good with children,” Natasha said, eyeing the pair.

“Lots of things you don’t know about me, Nat,” Tony replied, sounding amused, but Steve saw that the smile on his face was strained and did not reach his eyes. He was also keeping a good distance from Maximoff, who’s eyes tracked his every movement, like a predator watching its prey in preparation to strike. 

“Who is her Mother?” Natasha asked, looking to Steve, curiously, 

“She is… was, Pepper Potts,” Steve replied, “She was surrogate for Tony and I. Lily is biologically their child, and mine by adoption.”

“WHAT?” 

The cry came from Rogers, while the rest of the team gaped at Steve, looking from him to Tony and the baby, then back to Steve in wonderment. 

Rogers’ face screwed up in distaste, “You and Stark were… lovers?” he bit off the word lovers, spitting it out as if it were an insult. 

Steve scowled at him darkly, “We were married.” He corrected, “Had been for a number of years.”

“Married?” It was Maximoff who spoke now, as Rogers slumped back in his seat, shock upon his face. “You married Stark?” she spat, pointing a finger at Tony, who recoiled immediately, pressed Lily close to his body, and turning so his shoulders was facing her shielding the baby from the Witch’s ire. 

A growl rattled in Steve’s chest, and he moved to add his own bulk to the protective shield Tony was creating for Lily, and by doing so, protected Tony too. 

“Yes, Tony and I were married, and I will thank you not to cast judgement on that which you know nothing of. It is rather disrespectful if not rude.”

Wanda’s scowl morphed into an expression of distress, and she let out a sharp cry as if Steve had struck her! 

“Now wait just a minute,” Rogers said, rising to his feet, his chin jutting forward, an air of self-righteous authority about him. “You do not have the right, to come here and start telling us how to act. This is not your home, you have no business even being here..”

“He does have business being here, because I say he has a right to be,” Tony cut Rogers off, turning back to face him, meeting his eyes, his expression as defiant and steadfast as ever Steve had seen a look on his Tony’s face when someone was challenging him. 

“Well you don’t have the right do that, Stark,” Wanda sneered, “You’re not an Avenger anymore,” her smug smirk did not last for long, as Tony, steeled himself and glared at her, 

“In case you’re forgetting, Dear. I own this entire building and the land it is standing on. Not to mention all the equipment you use, and pay for up keep and cost of groceries for this place. So when it comes to deciding whom has the right to be in the building, I am the only one who truly has the legal right to do so!” He did not raise his voice. Did not shout at the insufferable brat. But his voice, and his words carried all the weight and power of a thunderous roar. 

“Going to start throwing your wealth in our faces Stark?” Natasha sneered at him, “Your ego really knows no limits does it?” 

Tony rolled his eyes, “Can’t you sing another song, Romanoff? You’re starting to sound like a record with the needle stuck in a groove.”

“That is enough Tony!” Rogers snapped, “There is no need to get insulting, and you know that Wanda has been through a lot, cut her some slack won’t you?” Tony opened his mouth to respond to that, but Rogers wasn’t done, “You might own the building, but we are The Avengers, and we are the ones who have the right to decide what goes on in our building.” He straightened up, standing to his full height, towering over Tony, using his mass to intimidate the smaller man, “Besides, you are on very thin ice after all you have done lately.”

Rogers’ might not have mentioned Ultron by name, but it was clear that was what he meant, and it was enough to make Tony flinch and duck his head in shame. 

While not part of this discussion truly, Steve could not stand by and do nothing as Tony was attacked from all sides from these people, that were so very different from the team he’d known. He stood behind Tony, placing a large hand on his shoulder and met Rogers’ eyes over Tony’s head, silently stating that he stood with Tony and if Rogers’ were to attempt anything physical he would have to face him too.

Rogers held his gaze for a moment then looked away, apparently not keen to start a fist fight with his larger and stronger twin. 

“If I may?” Vision interjected, “I think that we should focus on the greater matter?” 

“What greater matter?” Wanda sulkily asked, slouching in her seat and studying her nails. 

“Thanos,” Vision said, frowning at her. “It seems that there are many parallels between our world and the one Captain Rogers comes from,”

“Oh Steve, please,” Steve said, giving the android a friendly smile. At least one person seemed similar to how they had been in his world. 

“Steve,” Vision corrected, “The similarities between are worlds should not be ignored. If Thanos attacked in his world, then there is every reason to think that he will do so here.”

“No there isn’t” Rogers said, dismissively, “We destroyed the Chitauri, Thanos will not come here, he was probably killed on the mothership the nuke destroyed,”

“The nuke I carried through the portal you mean?” Tony ground out, his jaw tight and eyes glassy, “And I can tell you from what I saw. That Nuke succeeded in destroying one ship. Just one, and there were many more besides it.” He looked around the table, at the Avengers, “There is no reason to think that we succeeded in achieving anything but slowing them down for a while.” 

Natasha scoffed, “Hasn’t this obsession of yours already cause enough harm Stark?” she asked, “This what led to the Ultron disaster is it not?” again Tony flinched at the mention of Ultron and looked away. 

“You do not believe that there is cause for concern?” Vision asked, looking dubious. 

“No,” Rogers said, with a confidence that down right foolish, “We defeated the Chitauri. I don’t know how it went down in your world,” he gestured to Steve dismissively, “But in this one, we won, and Tony? Natasha is right. This belief that aliens are coming has already done enough damage, you have got to let this go before you lose your mind.”

“If you haven’t already,” Wanda muttered, 

“You need to move on, Man,” Sam said. His voice sounded gentle, but his tone was mocking, and he was acting like he was talking down to Tony, like a wise man to a fool. “Cling onto this because it was Iron Man’s most glorious moment is not doing you any good…” he trailed off, as Tony promptly turned, placing Lily in Steve’s arms and marched out of the room, letting the door slam behind him. 

“Trust Tony to throw a temper tantrum,” Natasha sighed, getting to her feet, she looked Steve over shrewdly, taking his measure as her sharp eyes took in every details of his physical appearance, “You should think twice about staying with him.” She said, “He might be free with his money, but its only to try and make up for his faults, which are many, and could prove dangerous to you and your daughter.”

Steve bristled at Natasha’s tone, and her presumptuous belief that she had a right to advise him on anything he did. 

“How dare you say such a thing?” he asked of her, securing Lily better in his arms, “Tony has been nothing but welcoming and generous to me and Lily, and looks to have been to all of you too, not that you’d know it by the “Abundance of gratitude” you’re showing him,” His voice dripped with sarcasm and his generous mouth was pulled into a sneer, 

“Now you wait a minute…” Rogers began, but Steve wasn’t done, 

“Frankly, with having you people around, I can not blame Tony for walking out on you, in fact I’m amazed he hasn’t thrown you all on the streets! I know if people living off my dime were showing me such hostility and disrespect I would turn them out with only the clothes on their back!” He surveyed the Avengers with utter disgust on his face, “I had hoped that I would find the same family I knew back in my world, but it seems that family does not exist here, nor ever will.”

Before any one could speak again, Steve turned on his heel and marched out of the room, following in Tony’s wake, leaving the stunned and insulted Avengers staring after him. 

 

*****

When Steve caught up with Tony, he was standing outside, by the car, a hand over his chest, and his body bent forward as he gasped for breath.

“Are you alright?” Steve cried, fearing for the Billionaires health. He knew that his Tony had a serious heart condition, it was probable that this Tony did too, though he did not appear to have the arc reactor in his chest. 

“Yeah,” Tony panted, swiping at his face, brushing away tears before Steve could see them. He fixed a watery smile on his face and turned to the concerned Captain, “Sorry about walking out. I didn’t mean to abandon you.”

“That’s quite alright,” Steve said, understandingly, he looked over his shoulder, “They do not deserve you,”

“No, you don’t understand,” Tony sighed, worrying at his bottom lip with his front teeth, “I fucked up, I really fucked up. Ultron was my doing, they are right not to trust me.”

“Bullshit!” Steve stated, making Tony jump a little at the volume of his voice, “From what you’ve said, Ultron was cause by a combination of things, not you alone. They have no right to treat you in such a way, none at all.”

It was painful to see the shimmer of disbelief in Tony’s eyes as he gazed at him, utterly astonished by these words. Steve almost moved to take him into his arms, but Lily let out a cry and wriggled in the pram, she would want feeding soon, and a nappy change soon there after. 

“Time to go home,” Tony said, with another forced smile, he opened the car doors, and helped Steve fold up the pram, and settle Lily into the car seat, securing her for the home journey.

“I’ll call Pepper when we get back,” Tony said, as he got into the drivers seat, “Explain to her what’s happened, and get a press conference arranged, the sooner the wolves have been fed a story the sooner they’ll lose interest.”

“Alright,” Steve agreed, frowning at the tremor in Tony’s hands as they gripped the wheel. There was not much he could do to repay Tony’s generosity and kindness to him, but he could look out for him, keep those sorry excuses for Avengers from hurting him anymore than they already had, and he made a promise to himself, to his lost husband, that he would do so.

 

*****

 

Rogers watched Tony’s car pull away, from a window in the compound. He scowled as he saw the flashy red Aston Martin (One of the few cars Tony had that could fit two people and a baby) going up the drive. 

He didn’t like this alternate version of himself, this false Captain America, who acted as if he were better than Rogers. When he was nothing but a queer! 

Oh Rogers knew that it was legal now and everyone should be respectful of that. But to him it wasn’t right. Two Men lying together, two women lying together, was against Gods commands. It was unnatural, a perversity, and it turned his stomach to think of a version of himself acting in such a vile manner. 

“You think he’ll cause trouble?” Natasha asked, startling him a little, as she came up behind him, “This version of you?”

“You don’t?” he asked her, 

“I do not yet know,” Natasha admitted, “This Steven Rogers is different to you, very different, and hard to read. I think that at heart he is a good man, but…”

“But?” 

“But he has been in love with a Stark, and is now dwelling with another Stark. No good can come of that.”


	4. Chapter 4

Pepper and Rhodey both had the same reaction to meeting the alternate Steven Rogers. 

Their mouths dropped open, their eyes bugged out, and they gaped at the larger, older version of Captain America. 

The childish and little shit part of Tony couldn’t resist having Friday snap a couple of photos of their expressions to post on social media as soon as the press conference had gone ahead. 

He thought the caption (Cap got your tongue?) would do quite nicely, even if both Pepper and Rhodey would kill him for it.

They were as shocked and horrified as Tony had been when Steve recounted his tale of what had happened to his world, the utter destruction that Thanos had brought, and how Steve and Lily had barely escaped with their lives. 

Pepper was very taken aback when she was told that her alternate self, had been the surrogate mother of Lily. She stared at the infant who was laying in Tony’s arms during the meeting, blowing spit bubbles and babbling in baby-speak. She wasn’t quite yet up to actual words but it probably wouldn’t be long before she was. 

When he met Pepper’s eye, Tony read the unasked question there about his relationship with this realities Steven Rogers, whether there had been more to it than Pepper had known. 

Tony shook his head subtly, knowing that they would have to talk about this later. 

“So you think that going public is the right way to go?” Rhodey asked, raising at eyebrow at the drool Lily was depositing on Tony’s shirt!

Tony shrugged, making Lily giggle at the motion, encouraging him to start bouncing her which brought out a peal of giggles. “Trying to hide this, or put a spin on this will only come back to bite us in the arse sooner or later. If we tell the world straight away then we show that we have nothing to hide and the world is far more likely to accept Steve and Lily-bee!” 

“Lily-bee?” Rhodey repeated 

“Yeah, because she’s sweet like honey and hums like a bee, so Lily-Bee.” Tony explained, as if that made perfect sense. Steve was grinning at his interaction with Lily, perfectly accepting of the nickname, recalling the nicknames his Tony had had for her. 

Little Banshee, when she’d had bad bouts of colic! Though Steve couldn’t blame him, God knows Lily had a very healthy set of lungs on her that she put to damn good use. 

Lily-Bot, when he was interacting with his demented bots in his lab. Dumm-E, Butterfingers, and YOU had been fascinated by their youngest and human sibling, chirping at her and gently touching her with their claws, which she had grabbed onto when she started to get the use of her hands. 

So Lily-Bee was just another adorable nickname to the list. He had his own for her too, Princess, and Little Star. 

He was thrilled that she had taken to Tony so well. Clearly assuming that he was her other Father and settling into his embraces just as she had with his Tony. 

While not technically his daughter, Tony was acting as if she was. Once he’d gotten over his uncertainty about handling her, he had taken to her like a duck to water, hardly wanting to put her down, happily changing her nappies once Steve had shown him how it was done, having Friday download all the information there was on caring for children, child development, and Fatherhood. 

He’d watched avidly as Steve had bathed her in the brand new baby bath, eagerly joining in once invited and laughing as Lily had kicked her chubby legs, soaking them both in the warm water as she took her bath, seeing it as playtime rather than getting cleaned up. 

 

“We can set up a press conference for the morning,” Pepper said, watching Tony’s interaction with Lily with a wistful look on her face that she was trying to hide. Clearly she and Tony had ended their relationship like his Tony and Pepper had, but unlike in his world, this Pepper had not had a baby, was not in a new relationship, and seeing Tony being so good with Lily was likely making her nostalgic for him and the life they might have had. 

Steve knew it was illogical, knew that this was not his Tony. But he couldn’t help but hope that Tony and Pepper did not get back together. It was stupid. He had no claim on this Tony, but he felt drawn to him, and not just because he reminded him of his Tony. 

Playfully bopping Lily on the nose with his fingertip, Tony looked up at Pepper, “I think that’ll be fine,” he looked to Steve, “Will that be okay with you?”

“Absolutely,” Steve said, “Dealing with the press is not my favourite occupation, but I have done so on several occasions and Tony, my Tony, helped teach me how to deal with them, how to avoid saying the wrong thing and not letting them lead me on or twist my words.”

“You don’t have to be there,” Tony said, “I can handle it for you. God knows you’ve been through enough without adding the vultures to it.” This brought a soft huff of laughter from Steve, “What?”

“Tony used to call the press Vultures too,” Steve said, 

“Huh. I guess some things are universal.” Tony said, “But really, you don’t have to do this if you’re not ready.”

“I’m ready,” Steve said, “I appreciate the offer, but I am ready.”

Tony looked to Pepper who nodded, “I’ll get the wheels in motion,” she said, getting to her feet, “This should make for some interesting headlines if nothing else.”

 

 

*****

 

Pepper was right about the headlines, and the interest that had half the worlds press camped out before Stark towers, screaming questions and snapping pictures as Tony sat beside Steve explaining to the world of how he was a different Steven Rogers and how he had come to be in this universe, following the destruction of his own world.

 

“What does our Steve Rogers think of his new Big Brother?” a reporter from the bugle asked, 

It was on the tip of Tony’s tongue to say something insulting about their Steve, but he was beaten to it by this new Steve. 

“I think my (Younger Brother) as you seem to be calling him, is suffering from shock at no longer being an only child!” He said, giving the cameras smile, “He and I are very different though.”

“How’s that?” Christine Everhart asked, “What differs you from our Captain America, apart from the obvious size and age.”

“Hey!” Tony teased, “Don’t ask things like that, you’ll give the poor man a complex about crows feet and his weight!” This earned a few laughs, and Steve even made a show of asked Tony if he should start considering botox injection and hair dye for the grey!

Showing that he had a sense of humour and didn’t mind playing the fool, earned him points with the press and would also with the public. People liked to see those they looked up to laughing at themselves and showing that they were human and normal.

“As to our differences,” Steve said, answering Christine’s question. “I a lot less quick to judgement. Having lived longer and seen much more I have learned the value of taking my time before making decisions. Especially ones that can effect not just myself but many others. I have probably mellowed somewhat too, am less quick to anger and tend to look before I leap, again, probably something that can be contributed to age and experience. As I am given to understand, this worlds Steve Rogers had but one week in a military boot camp before being dosed with the serum, then became a… performer? Before rushing into an active war zone to save his friend. The Title Captain America being a stage name that was adopted by the military rather than an actual rank insignia.”

“You are a Captain?” Christine asked, typing furiously into her Stark Tablet, 

“Indeed Ma’am. I was recruited by Erskine. But I never performed on stage. After the serum I completed training and Officers training. I was sent to the front as Lieutenant Rogers, earning the rank of Captain, when I rescued several prisoners of war and brought back information on the Red Skull’s plans. At that point a special unit of highly skilled soldiers was formed, to be lead by myself, under the command of General Philips with the task of fighting Hydra.”

“How did the name Captain America come about then?” a Reporter from New York Times called out.

Steve flushed a little and some how managed to pull off an adorable ‘Oh shucks’ look despite being in his late thirties. 

“I was and still am an artist. During my down time I would sketch a lot, even doing caricatures of myself and the Howling Commandos. Creating comic book adventures for us. My friend Bucky decided they were good enough to publish and sent them off to the New York Times, who liked them so much the ran a strip in the paper, which eventually became weekly comic books, dubbed Captain America.”

“Comic Books?” Tony asked, a grin over his face, “You got named from the comic?” his eyes were dancing with amusement that Steve knew was going to be giving him a hell of a lot of shit over this. 

“So you are a more mature and level headed man, and a commissioned officer.” Christine said, “Anything else?”

“Yes Ma’am, I am gay.”

 

If the press were not screaming before, they sure as hell were now. Captain America declaring himself homosexual before the whole world had everyone crying out questions and snapping pictures. 

“Gay?” Christine repeated, raising her voice enough to be heard over the noise. 

“Yes, I was married to my Tony Stark for a number of years. We have a daughter together. Lily. His daughter biologically, and mine by adoption. Our Pepper Potts surrogated for us.”

“You have a daughter?”

“What do you think of this Mr Stark?”

“What does Steve Rogers think of this?” 

“Is our Captain America gay too?”

“No,” Steve said, “This worlds Captain America is very much heterosexual and very clear on that subject and his feelings upon it.” He did not come right out and say that Rogers was homophobic, but anyone reading between the lines could guess at what he was hinting. 

“Tony! How do you feel about all this?” Christine cried to the rather bewildered Billionaire. He hadn’t expected Steve to reveal so much, certainly not about his sexual orientation and he was rather taken aback by the way that Steve had subtly called his counter part a homophobe in front of the worlds media, which would undoubtedly cause a backlash for the Avengers to deal with. 

“How do I feel about what?” he asked, Christine,

“Everything,” Christine replied, “Having a daughter, technically speaking.”

Tony smiled easily, “Lily is beautiful. Probably the most beautiful baby I have ever seen. You will undoubtedly get to see her at some point, but we didn’t want to overwhelm her with all the cameras and noise today.”

“Where is she?” Someone else asked, 

“In the penthouse. Her Uncle Rhodey is baby-sitting,” Tony said, “Having played escort to me many times, he has a lot of experience when it comes to baby-sitting!” 

More laughter followed this statement before another reporter cut in with a question for Steve. 

“Will you be joining The Avengers, Captain Rogers?”

“No,” Steve said, “That team is not my team, and at present I am grieving for my family and friends, I would not be fit to take up arms. I need time to process everything and work through my grief.” The reporters seemed impressed by the very mature decision Steve had made in regards to his fitness to act as an Avengers while coming to terms with his loss. 

“In the future though?” 

“In the future? Who can say?” Steve replied, “But as for right now, I am happy to spend time with my daughter and this worlds Tony Stark, who has shown immense generosity and kindness in giving us a home here.” He gave Tony a beaming smile as the Billionaire stared at him with something close to amazement on his face, an image that was capture by several cameras and would be published shortly there-after.

When Tony gave her the nod, Pepper stepped forward and brought the conference to a close, answering a few questions for them about SI before she too departed for her office. 

 

On their ride back up to the penthouse in the lift, Tony looked at Steve in amazement. “I didn’t know you would do that. Out yourself as a gay man just like that.”

Steve shrugged, “I am not ashamed of my sexuality and see no reason to hide it.”

“Fair enough, but you might get some backlash for it. I don’t know how things were in your world, but in this one, not all views are positive on LGBTQA.” Tony said, “And you practically accused your “Little brother” of being homophobic.”

“He is homophobic.” Steve said, “He needs to grow up and get over it. Its not catching, and there is nothing to fear from us gays is there?”

Tony quirked his head and grinned, “Oh I don’t know. A big guy like you coming onto a guy might make him a little nervous! After all, you could pick us up and carry us around with just one hand couldn’t you?”

“And what would my other hand be doing in this scenario?” Steve purred, a lewd smirk playing on his lips.

Tony burst out laughing at Steve’s double entendre. Rogers never engaged in flirtatious banter like this, nor stood so close to him and gazed at him with relaxed ease. Rogers was always stiff when he was around Tony (No pun intended) where everything with this Steve was different to how it was with Rogers, easier and far more relaxed. It was wonderfully refreshing. 

As the lift reached the Penthouse and they stepped out, Tony wondered what the worlds reaction would be to the New Steve Rogers, and what, this realities Steve Rogers would think when his “Big Brother’s” story was plastered all over the news papers for all to see.


	5. Chapter 5

Rogers barely resisted the urge to put his fist through the TV screen. 

Right there, in front of half the worlds press, was his “Twin” declaring himself homosexual as if it were something to be proud of!

He also made out that Rogers was nothing more than a propaganda tool, the dancing monkey he had drawn himself as. 

“Self-righteous, sanctimonious bastard!” Rogers hissed at the screen, glaring at his double. He didn’t believe half of what this other Steve Rogers was saying. After all, there was no way to prove what he was saying was factual, he could storify himself, make himself seem to be a great man, a hero, when he was nothing but a filthy queer. 

“Stark’s really milking this, huh?” Sam said, shaking his head, “Then again, after Ultron, I suppose he needs all the good publicity he can get.”

“It’s disgusting,” Wanda spat, scowling at the screen, “Stark is using that man and baby for his own needs.”

Vision frowned. From what he had observed on the TV, and during the meeting they had had at the compound, Tony was not using this other Steven Rogers for anything, and he seemed to genuinely like Lily. Vision was still learning about humans and their interactions, but he did not think that Wanda or Sam were correct in their assessments. 

 

“We’re going to have to get on this, Steve,” Natasha said, to Rogers, “Your double has practically called you homophobic publicly. That’s going to create one hell of a backlash.”

“Why?” Steve asked with a frown.

“Because people are going to be giving you serious shit of it, Man,” Sam said, “All of the pro-gay and gay rights activists will be campaigning against you,”

“They’re just minority groups trying to cause a stir.” Rogers said, waiving, a hand dismissively.

“Are you smoking crack?” Sam asked, incredulous, “Do you know how big LGBTQA is in America alone?”

“It’s just a fan club Sam,” Rogers said, “No matter what laws may have been bent to allow it, the only true coupling is between a man and a woman. God said so, nature says so. What these people do is wrong. Now I wouldn’t want to see them imprisoned for it, or put to death as they were centuries ago, but I will not agree with such repugnant and unnatural behaviours.”

Sam made a pained noise and sank back into his chair, pinching the bridge of his nose. It wasn’t the first time he’d heard such a speech, there were just as many homophobes in the military as there were openly gays. Under normal circumstances he may have argued with Rogers, tried to correct him, but this was different to most people. Rogers was from a time when it was still very illegal to be gay, he’d been brought up believing that it was immoral and unnatural to behave in such a way. It wasn’t his fault for believing this, it was just the way it was. 

“You need to keep that opinion to yourself,” Natasha cautioned him, “You don’t have to like it, but do not speak openly against homosexuality. It will only bite you in the ass in the long run.”

Steve stood up tall and proud, his chin jutting out, “I do not fear the press. I always strive to tell the truth and always shall.”

 

***** 

 

Stark Tower

 

“I have a thought.”

Tony looked up from where he was designing a new type of satellite, one that would have a high powered telescope to peer deep into space, using ultra-violet, Infrared, motion detection, and ultra-sonics to search the galaxy for Thanos and signs of him coming to invade earth. He was also planning on building laser weapons to be powered by arc reactors that would be placed in orbit about the earth, to fire on any invading space craft. That one would be more complex, he would need approval from The UN for one, and countries not associated with the UN before he could start placing weapons in space. 

 

Steve was standing in his workshop, dressed in a skin tight white T-Shirt, teamed up with stone wash jeans, and an unbuttoned shirt. Lily was cradled to his chest, sucking on her thumb and gazing about with her big bright eyes in wonderment. 

“What thought?” Tony asked, setting down his hologram for the moment.

“About building a team,” Steve replied, taking a seat on the battered couch Tony had in his workshop. “On my earth, The Avengers often worked with The Defenders, The Fantastic Four, Spider-Man, The X-Men, to defeat large problems.”

Tony wrinkled his nose, “Reed Richards is such a dick though, and Spider-Man has only just started to web the streets of New York,”

“But he is here.” Steve bit his bottom lip and shifted uncomfortably, “We even worked with Deadpool once!”

“DEADPOOL!” Tony shrieked, “He’s a raving lunatic, a deranged, demented, psychopath, who dresses like a garish sex doll, never stops talking, and has a habit of skewering people!”

“Oh, so he’s not much different to the Deadpool I knew then!” Tony rolled his eyes, 

“You’re insane if you think bringing that nut job into a team is a good idea, besides, he’s already turned down the X-Men. Called Colossus a cock gobbler, among other things!”

Steve frowned at Tony, making a show of covering Lily’s ears. “As for the X-Men, I have spoken with Professor Xavier from time to time. Helped him create a collar to dampen mutant powers for students that need to learn control slowly, and to stop those that abuse them from hurting others. The Defenders I’ve heard tell of, The Devil of Hells Kitchen is one of them I believe.”

“He is.” Steve said, “Along with Luke Cage, Jessica Jones, and Iron Fist.”

“Sounds like it could be a hell of a team,” Tony said, spinning round on his chair and bumping Butterfingers who chirped at him, “Go be useful and pick stuff up,” he said to the bot, he sighed, as the ever helpful Butterfingers reached down into the bin under his desk and began to pick up the rubbish that Tony had thrown away!

“Well, I think, with what you’re planning, put together we might have chance of defeating Thanos this time.” 

Tony drew in a shaky breath, trying not to think about the portal or the Chitauri, what he’d seen through the wormhole. “We have to,” he whispered, “We can’t not succeed.”

He thought briefly about calling in the Avengers, but decided against it. He’d tried to explain to them time and again about the threat Earth faced and no one listened, even now with this Steve’s presence they were deaf to his reasoning. He couldn’t afford to waste anymore time on them. If they did as Steve suggested and gathered other allies in preparation, then they could always bring the Avengers in when the need arose. 

“Alright,” he said with a nod of his head, “Start the ball rolling, set the wheels in motion, and other words to that effect.” He grinned, “And what do you think about it, Lily-Bee?” 

Lily giggled and reached out grabby hands to Tony, for him to take her, eagerly he did so and began making faces at her which set her off laughing all the more.

“Boss Man, the Boss Lady is here,” Friday called, 

“Let her in, Fri,” Tony said. Blowing a raspberry at Lily who squealed in delight, curious at the miniature human, the Bots milled around, chirping at her, and tilting their claws as they watched their Father playing with a tiny human.

“Who is so beautiful? Who is the most beautiful girl in all the world?” Tony asked, leaning down to bump his nose against Lily’s 

“I’m sure she could win a beauty contest,” Pepper said, smirking as she came into the lab. It was still a bit of a shock to the system to see Tony interacting so easily with a baby, but then, he treated his bots like toddlers, so perhaps she shouldn’t be so surprised after all. 

“Pepperoni, what can I do for your most deliciousness?” Tony asked, giving her his best grin, which Pepper rolled her eyes at.

“How are you MS Potts?” Steve asked, as polite as ever, 

“Very well, thank you, Captain, and its Pepper,”

“Call me Steve then, please,”

“Should I leave you two alone?” Tony drawled, while he gave his fingers to Lily to play with, hardly noticing when she put one in her mouth to suck on! 

“Behave, there’s a baby present,” Pepper scolded him, “And I have an offer for you both,” She regretted her word choice when the wicked gleam shone in Tony’s eyes, “Get your filthy mind out of the gutter Mr Stark and focus!”

“Oh I’m focused, especially if you’re offering a threesum!” he looked to Steve, who was blushing and laughing at the same time, “We could have some fun, make a Steve sandwich, or perhaps a spit roast Billionaire?”

“I’ll have you roasted if you carry on,” Pepper growled, Tony mimed zipping his lips, looking like a misbehaving five year old. 

“The LGBTQA community has been very vocal since the press conference,” Pepper said, “We are getting a lot of positive press as the result, and with the pride parade not too far away, there has been a suggestion that SI host an LGBTQA gala for the occasion.”

Tony blinked, surprised, “That actually sounds like a Gala I would like to attend, God knows it’ll be a hell of a lot more fun than the usual ones, full of stuffy old farts and brain dead socialites.”

“So it’s a go?” Pepper asked, 

“It is for me,” Tony looked to Steve, “Fancy putting on your glad rags and coming along?”

“I don’t have any glad rags,” Steve said, so far the only clothes Tony had bought him were casual, with three modern suits for press conferences and such, but no tuxedos or anything. 

“We’ll pay a trip to Armani and that’ll be sorted,” Tony said, looking Steve over, damn but he was going to look edible in a tux. Tony would have a hard time (No pun intended) keeping his hands to himself. 

“Sounds like a plan,” Steve said, then looked to Lily who was happily babbling to Dumm-E who was chirping back at her, “We’ll need a baby sitter though.”

Tony grinned, “I know just the guy for the job.”

 

*****

 

Three weeks later

 

The fantastic four readily agreed to ally with Tony and Steve in the event of an invasion, as did the Defenders. Though, Dare Devil was reluctant to make himself known to them, but then he was reluctant to make himself known to anyone. Steve had told Tony the Devil’s identity, Matt Murdock, who was coming to the Gala, as one of the most prestigious lawyers in New York, he very supportive of LGBTQA. 

Deadpool had yet to respond, and Tony was cautious about contacting Spider-Man, he was a kid, but he was already putting himself out there fighting crime, so perhaps having a couple of mentors would not be a bad idea. 

Professor Xavier had agreed to an alliance should the need arise, Logan had grunted by way of response, but that was his normal response to practically anything, Colossus was of course ready and willing, every solid crome inch of him was practically vibrating with enthusiasm, which had Tony thinking naughty, Deadpool like thought which he promptly shut down, still dreading to arrival of the deranged lunatic. 

 

With so much happening the weeks flew by, and before they knew it, the Gala arrived, as did the baby sitter. Clint Barton.

It seemed that it was fortunate that Tony had called Clint to come and baby sit Lily for the night. He was driving Laura mad, getting under her feet all the time, and she sent him with a letter for Tony, begging him to find something for Clint to do that would get him out from under her feet all the time or she would certainly be committing murder! There was only so much “Help” she could stand having, when he hovered beside her to peg out washing, nearly burned the kitchen down attempting to cook, had repainted every wall in the house twice, and always seemed to be following her around like a lost puppy!

“How did you nearly burn the kitchen down?” Tony asked, laughing as he folded up the letter,

“Screw you, Stark!” Clint groused, his cheeks flushed pink, “Like you could do better in the kitchen.”

“I can, as it happens,” 

“Ha! I heard it from Pepper that it took you three hours and ten attempts to make her one omelette!”

“At least I’ve never burned the kitchen down!”

“No, you just upgrade appliances and give them questionable personalities,” Clint agreed, “How is Toby the toaster, Cathy the coffee maker, and Micky the Microwave?”

“Fine, thank you for asking,” Tony replied. So what if they were a little odd, Toby did toast things, he just got carried away doing it and burned everything to a crisp, and Micky had a thing against meat, and eggs, and frozen foods! Cathy was alright though, she was always bubbling and huffing steam happily.

At that point the lift pinged and Steve, dressed in an Armani tux, stepped out and Tony’s mouth went drier than the Sahara in a heat wave. Dear God, he put James fucking Bond to shame in that suit. All broad shoulders and firm muscles and chiselled jaw line… Tony was going to die of blue balls, he knew it, there would be a headline tomorrow, Billionaire dies from blue balled related heart attack after seeing Captain sexy as hell in a tux.

 

“Hey, if it isn’t Cap 2.0,” Clint greeted, with a bright smile, “And this little lady must be Lily,”

Lily gurgled at the archer and grinned at him. 

“She certainly is,” Tony said, unsticking his tongue from the roof of his mouth, “Steve, this is our worlds Birdbrain, Feather head, this is Steve Rogers.”

“Blow me tin can!” Clint replied, flipping him off, and took Lily with the practised ease of a parent, “Hey there sweetie, we’re gonna have big fun while Mommy and Daddy are out on a date aren’t we?” he cooed to her,

“It’s not a date,” Tony said, as Steve said, 

“Which one of us is Mommy?”

They stared at each other, momentarily speechless and Clint snorted at them, “Yeah, sure, whatever you two. Go have fun, drink champagne, pull a moony to a few Paps, break a senator or two, and be back by midnight!”

“Yes sir!” Steve chuckled, giving Clint a mock salute, while Tony put his wallet into his inside pocket,

“Now Stark, why can’t you be nice like Cap?” 

Tony gave Clint a shark like smile, “Feel free to drop dead of Ebola, Barton!” Trying not to eye Steve up as they went to the lift, he turned and called over his shoulder, “Don’t mess up my tower!”

“Don’t fuck on the back seat!” Clint called after him, “And no sex unless its safe sex, kids!”

“I will end you, Feather Head!” 

 

Tony sagged against the wall of the lift as the doors closed. Steve was laughing, “He doesn’t seem too different from my Clint was, a little older maybe, but not that different.”

Tony made a face, “That is a terrifying thought, considering the fact he’s had children!” he sighed, “His wife’s asked me to find him something to do to get him out from under her feet all day.”

“And?” Steve asked, “Will you ask him to join the team?”

“I don’t know. He retired from all that, and I respect that. God knows he’s earned it. But he’s too young to just kick back and do nothing, he needs an occupation of some sort. With his skills he would be excellent as a head of security. Happy is mostly working for Pepper now, and Clint could find all the blind spots in security and give advice on how to secure them, he works well with a team, and he isn’t a yes man,”

“You like that he gives you shit,” Steve said, grinning fondly at Tony, who nodded, 

“I get surrounded by people like that, who are so busy agreeing with me to win my favour for something that they don’t hear a word I am saying. Barton isn’t like that. He listens and gives his genuine opinion. Maybe not what I always want to hear, but what I need to hear. I respect that, and as much as he drives me up the wall, I actually like the bird brained idiot!”

“Well hire him then,” Steve said, “We can always offer him team membership, it’d only activate on the if and when, not a daily basis, so he’d only come out of retirement if the world was in peril.”

Tony nodded thoughtfully as the lift reached the ground floor and they walked out to the limo waiting for them, for the first time in God knows how long he was actually feeling hopeful about the future, was even looking forward to a Gala! Mostly because he was seeing Steve in a tux! 

It was an odd, butterflies in his stomach, like feeling, and Tony hoped that it would last for a long time.


	6. Chapter 6

Rogers had been trying to get in touch with Tony for weeks. Ever since that first press conference where that other “Him” had gone and declared himself homosexual, Rogers had been coming under a hell of a lot of fire from the Press and the LGBTQA. 

It seemed there were reporters constantly hanging around the compound, demanding to know his views on the sexual revolutions that had taken place since his day. Not just the equal rights for Women, which according to Natasha were still a work-in-progress, with the majority of women still being paid less than men, and a majority of companies in the USA not proving paid maternity leave let alone paternity leave. Stark Industries was one of the few that provided both, Twelve weeks at full pay, and a further six at half pay. 

But also his views on the legalization of homosexuality and homosexual marriages. 

Rogers had kept his answers to no comments as Sam and Natasha had ordered him, and as they were escorting him whenever he came into contact with the press, they made damn sure he didn’t say anything more than that.

 

Not all the news crews were pro homosexuality at least, nor all groups for that matter, several of which had taken to making him one of their figureheads, something that made Rogers flush with pride at being though of as righteous and heroic enough to be made into a figurehead again in this modern era. 

Sam did not seem as pleased by it, neither did Natasha, but Rogers was proud, though he wished that the other news stations and news papers would leave off. Which was one of the things that he wanted to talk to Tony about, one of the many things actually, since it seemed Tony and Steve were making overtures to other groups to form a team of their own against this imagined threat of Tony’s. 

Clearly Tony’s paranoia and trauma were acting up again in a big way. Sam had some new fangled term for it, something about traumatic experiences and stress effecting people like shell shock, and obviously this Steve character was taking advantage of it, taking advantage of Tony’s mental and emotional vulnerability. 

Natasha had said that Tony was compulsive and self-destructive as well as being prone to narcissism, and if flattered and appealed to, could be easily manipulated. 

 

Rogers had been trying to get in touch with Tony, trying to reach out to him and stop him from doing something stupid, like Ultron, and to get the press off his back. 

But Tony had yet to return any of his calls, Rhodey was out of communication, overseas on some military mission, and Pepper wouldn’t even take his calls, her secretary threatening Rogers with having him charged with making nuisance calls if he didn’t desist in calling her office!

Realizing that he had no choice, but to go and see Tony in person and try to shake some sense into him, Rogers went to New York and to the newly renamed Stark Tower. 

It was still a bit of a shock, hearing that Irish female voice instead of the familiar British Male voice of Tony’s AI, why he hadn’t repaired the program Roger’s didn’t know. Tony always seemed to emotionally attached to his mechanical inventions, like those robots in his lab, and those malfunctioning kitchen appliances, treating them like they were people instead of just the lumps of wires and metal that they were made of.

 

When he reached the penthouse floor, Rogers expected to be greeted by Tony, and his Other Self, but instead, he found Clint on his knees on the penthouse floor, waving a toy over the face of a giggling infant, who was laying on a play mat that had other toys dangling from arches over her head. 

“hey Cap, what brings you to Casa de Stark?” Clint greeted, his attention mostly on the infant.

Rogers tried to recall her name, Laura, Lucy, Lindsey? 

 

“What are you doing here?” he asked, frowning as Clint laughed at the infant’s antics, how she reached for her feet, seemingly fascinated by them. 

“Baby sitting,” Clint replied, glancing at Rogers before looking back to the infant and bopping her on the head with the teddy bear he was waving over her head. She let out a shriek of laughter and made grabby hands for the toy. “Oh you want bear, you want bear do you? Well you’ve got to do better than that!” he bopped her on the head with the bear again and lifted it just out of reach, teasing her and making the infant squirm and giggle until he finally let her have the bear, which she promptly began to chew on!

“Ah, that’s the stuff,” Clint said, getting to his feet and straightening his shirt, “You looking for Tony?” he asked Rogers, “Because he’s not here. He and your really, really big brother have gone to a Gala.”

Rogers grit his teeth, “He is not my brother,” 

“He kinda is,” Clint reasoned, “I mean he’s older than you, and he’s bigger than you…” 

“When will they be back?” Rogers demanded, cutting off Clint’s ramble, which to be fair, could go on for hours. Clint shrugged,

“Fucked if I know,” he winced and looked down at the infant, “Don’t tell your Mommy and Daddy that I swore, okay sweetiepie?”

“Where is this Gala?” Rogers ground out,

“The Plaza,” Clint replied, “Why..” his eyes widened when Rogers turned, going back to the lift, “Hey, Cap, I really don’t think that you should… Interrupt them tonight,” he finished, as the doors closed while he was speaking, “God fucking damn it!” Lily giggled from the floor and Clint shot her a pained look,

“Really, I am begging you, do not start talking anytime soon, okay?”

 

*****

 

The Plaza 

 

It was a rather unusual experience for Tony. To be on the arm of someone, rather than having someone on his arms for an event. Though Pepper could never be described as Arm Candy and he would never do her the disservice of calling her such. 

But Tony had never been the one to be lead along the red carpet and shielded from screeching reporters and screaming fans by someone, he’d always been the one doing the leading and shielding. Yet tonight, he was being led by Steve, who’s massive shoulders provided him a wonderful shield from the flashing lights of the cameras and the deafening roar of the crowds. 

Steve walked confidently down the red carpet, having clearly experienced this sort of thing in his own world, but was not so cocksure or arrogant as to forget to smile to those who called his name, or to raise a hand to wave. 

He also thanked the door man as they went into the hotel and through to the reception room where the gala was being held. 

They were greeted to applause as they were announced, being the guests of honour for the night. 

“Ready?” Steve asked him and Tony looked up with a smile, 

“Absolutely.”

 

The Plaza had done them proud with the decoration of the reception room. It was decked out in the Rainbow colours of LGBTQA, but done tastefully and elegantly, rather than looking gaudy or tacky as was always a risk when mixing bright and primary colours. 

The table cloths on the tables were delicately pin striped in the rainbow colours, and the napkins were in different shades of the rainbow. Rainbow banners were pinned along the walls and bouquets of flowers in the corners of the room, the blooms an ensemble of the shades of the rainbow. 

After Tony and Steve made the rounds talking to people, shaking hands, and making polite conversation, they went and took their places at the top table, where they were served a three course meal with a choice of Champagne, white, or red wine.

With Steve keeping him engaged in conversation and gently nudging him in the ankle with his foot beneath the table, Tony actually ate the meal, instead of ignoring the food and focussing on his phone and sipping the drinks throughout the dinner. 

The smug look the Captain shot him every time that Tony glared told him that he was well versed in having to get his Tony to eat instead of work all the time and that he would not be able to get away with his usual tricks while under the Captain’s watchful eye. From his left, Pepper kept shooting Steve pleased looks, at his ability to get Tony to eat a decent meal, which would have set Tony sulking at the fact they were ganging up on him, had it not been for the fact that the food was very good, the triple chocolate mousse they had for dessert especially.

“A few more meals like that and you might not look like a puff of wind could blow you away!” Steve teased, as the coffee and port or brandy was served, along with after dinner mints and truffles.

Tony scowled at him, “I am not malnourished. You’re just biased because your over-grown!”

“Please. I could pick you up with one arm,” Steve said, sipping his coffee, “And I am not over grown, you are just pocket-sized!” Tony’s mouth dropped open in amused outrage, 

“Pocket-sized!”

“Hmm, maybe pint-sized!” 

“You have got one hell of a mouth on you, Captain Rogers,”

“I can do a hell of a lot of things with it too!” 

“Is that a fact or a promise?” Tony flirted, having to pinch himself for the fact that he was flirting with Captain America who was not only flirting back with him, had been the one to initiate the flirtation to begin with! He inhaled sharply as Steve leaned closer to him, their shoulders brushing together and dark blue eyes locked onto him and seemingly pinned him into his place.

“Which would you like it to be?” Steve purred, he honest to God purred! The rumbling roll of his words sending shudders down Tony’s spine and of his blood heading south of the border too.

For once in his life Tony had no idea what to say, he sat there staring at Steve, wondering if anyone would mind if he just crawled into the mans lap and began to hump him in public!

Sadly for his cock but fortunately for the public and his reputation (Such that it was) Pepper tapped him on the back, breaking the moment.

“Its time for you speech,” She said, handing him her own napkin, since his had been screwed up into a ball and discarded, “Wipe your mouth, there is drool on your chin!” 

“I hate you!” Tony spat at her, as he rose from his seat, willing his erection away,

“Get your ass on the stage Mr Stark,” Pepper ordered, as firm and brisk as a drill Sergeant, “Or I’ll be putting these gorgeous jimmy choo’s up it!”

“Sir, yes Sir!” Tony mock saluted, heading up to where the small stage had been set up to give his speech. As he stood up there in front of the microphone he found his gaze constantly moving to Steve, who was staring at him, a smile on his face, laughing at every joke and clapping with the crowd as Tony spoke. Steve’s attention and support had a warm feeling spreading through Tony’s belly. On the few occasions the Avengers and he had gone to Gala’s and he’d had to make a speech, Rogers had never given him such supportive looks, or been genuinely amused by his jokes. It was as different and as nice as having Steve supporting him down the Red Carpet, it made Tony feel safe and protected, something he hadn’t felt in as long as he could remember.

 

After the speeches had finished, came the dancing with music being provided by a full orchestra, and drinks available from a very well stocked bar.

Tony naturally took the first dance with Pepper, an elegant and easy to follow waltz which ended in everyone clapping and Tony relinquishing Pepper to the Mayor of New York, and turning to head for the bar when Steve held out a hand to him, 

“May I have this dance?” he inquired. 

Unable to resist, Tony fluttered his eyelashes and foppishly lay a hand over his heart, putting on his best Southern Belle voice, “Why Captain, you do know how to sweep a girl off her feet!”

Steve rolled his eyes and took Tony’s hand, leading him out onto the dance floor and began to lead them through the foxtrot with a great deal of practised ease. 

“Where did you learn to dance?” Tony asked, impressed by the Captain’s grace and skill. Rogers had always spent the nights propping up the bar with Clint, unable to dance and refusing to ever set foot on the dance floor, since he never got that first dance with Aunt Peggy. 

“The bars and pubs that we went to on our downtime during the war,” Steve replied, “And Tony, my Tony gave me a few pointers. I take it your Steve didn’t dance with you?”

“Christ no,” Tony said, snorting at the thought, “He wouldn’t dance with anyone at all, least of all me.”

“Why?” Steve sounded so perplexed that Tony had no choice but to answer him, hardly noticing that they changed into another dance, this one full of spins and turns. 

“Because he never learned to dance properly, and there was a woman he was in love with during the war that he never a chance to be with.”

“So? Why should that be a reason not to dance? Why spend his life alone because one lost love?” Steve asked, frowning, “I know how much losing someone you love hurts, but, as cliché as it sounds, life goes on.”

Tony smiled faintly, “Maybe you should tell him that,”

“Maybe I will!” Steve said and suddenly dipped Tony, making the smaller man yelp in surprise and then giggle, as he held Steve tighter to support himself, 

“Don’t you dare drop me,” he warned,

“I wouldn’t dream of it, Mr Stark,” Steve promised, pulling Tony close to him, “Just relax, you’re safe with me,” he whispered into the billionaires ear, making Tony shiver in delight. 

 

*****

 

Being famous definitely had its compensations. 

Rogers had found his face could get him into practically anywhere, and while being someone that people recognised did have its downsides, but in cases like this, where he could walk into one of the biggest hotels in Manhattan and be allowed to go through to a gala, it definitely made the downsides worth it. 

Orchestral music was playing as Rogers walked into the reception and people were dancing, or standing off to the side, watching the dancers and talking animatedly as they sipped their drinks of choice that were being mixed to order by the bar tenders. 

With his nose wrinkling at the sight of the same sex couples on the dance floor, Rogers searched the crowd until he came across Tony, in the arms of Steve, being twirled around the dance floor like some dance hall doxie! 

Gritting his teeth, Rogers picked his way through the couples dancing until he reached Tony and Steve, just as the music ended and people stopped dancing to clap. 

“Cap?” Tony asked, a frown on his face, “What are you doing here?” 

“We need to talk,” Rogers said, 

“We are a little busy here, in case you haven’t noticed,” Steve said, sarcastically, and Rogers glared at him. 

“This is more important than prancing around a dance floor,” 

“Really? Well I suppose you’d know a lot about that, seeing as how you were a dancing girl during the war!” 

Rogers let out a growl and clenched his fists. Things might have taken a turn for the worst, but Tony moved between them, placing a hand on Steve’s chest.   
“I’ll be back in a few minutes,” he said, patting Steve’s chest and offering him a completely false smile. 

Looking like he was chewing glass, Steve nodded tightly, “Don’t go far,” he said, giving Rogers a warning glare which the other man returned in kind, following Tony to the deserted dining area to speak. 

 

“Alright, what’s so urgent that you had to gate crash a private party?” Tony asked, getting straight down to business. 

“You haven’t been returning my calls,” Rogers replied, “And I would hardly call this,” he gestured around, “As being overly important,”

“I’ve been busy,” Tony ground out, 

“Yes, and that’s what we need to talk about,” Rogers said, “You and your obsession with this imagined threat coming from space. You reaching out to other enhanced people, putting together some kind of army, don’t you see how dangerous that is?”

Tony wet his lips and took a deep breath, forcing himself to remain calm, “The threat of Thanos is far from imagined, especially with the news that Steve has brought, and as for putting together an army, as you call it, I do not see how that is dangerous to anyone but an invading hostile force, as that is what it will be used for. All of us uniting to fight a common enemy.”

“That is what The Avengers are for!”

Tony shrugged, “I didn’t say they weren’t, but it doesn’t mean you can’t have the support of other heroes does it? And should Thanos attack, we will be ready for him, and with any luck prevent what happened on Steve’s world from happening here.”

Rogers let out an explosive sigh and ran a hand through his hair, beginning to pace, “God sakes Tony, when will you get it through your head that there is no Thanos?” he demanded, “We defeated him, we nuked him and his army, they’re gone, there is no threat except from Hydra, and instead of focussing on that, you’d have everyone preparing for some fairy tale villain from out of space!”

Tony let out a bark of mirthless laughter, “That is the stupidest and most ignorant thing I have ever heard you say. Hydra is the only threat? What about AIM, or IS, or Al Qaeda? They are just as big a threat as Hydra ever was.”

“Is Tony, is a threat, but you are burying you head in the sand to that, chasing make believe monsters and getting so obsessed over it that you do stupid things that get people hurt. It was behaviour like this that led to you creating Ultron and ruined Iron Man.” He paused and frowned at Tony, as if coming to a new realization, “Is that why you’re building yourself a new team? Because the Avengers know your not fit to be in the field anymore?”

Tony could feel the first twinges of a panic attack building in his chest. He knew he had to get away from Rogers right now, or he would lose it and he couldn’t afford to have an attack right now, not when he might be spotted by other people, any hope of being seen as anything but a fuck up would be destroyed if they saw him in the throes of an anxiety attack. 

Gathering what little strength he had, Tony made to shove past Rogers, planning to go and lock himself into a bathroom stall until he’d calmed down enough to show his face again, but as usual, Roger’s wasn’t letting him walk away, grabbed him by the arm and spun him around, his fingers gripping painfully tight to Tony’s bicep,

“Don’t you walk away from me Stark, we’re not done yet!” he barked into the Billionaire’s face, “I know you’re arrogant enough to think that everyone should bow to your whim, but I am not one of you minions who’s awe struck enough to think that you can walk on water. You will show me some damn respect and look at me when I am talking to you!”

It was getting harder to breathe, and to think. Tony tried to pull way, but Roger’s grip on him was like iron, he’d need the suit to break it. He couldn’t focus on what Rogers was saying, his voice was becoming a blur in the roar in his ears, his face bending and twisting as Tony’s vision blurred with the sudden rush of vertigo. Had Roger’s not been gripping him so tightly he might have fallen to the ground. How ironic that would have been, him at Captain America’s feet when Rogers had accused him of wanting everyone at his own feet. 

A hard slapping sound reached Tony’s ears, then the right side of his face bloomed with pain and he tasted blood inside him mouth. His brows knitted together in confusion. He didn’t understand. Why could he taste blood? Why did his face hurt? 

“For Christ sakes Stark, are you drunk?” Tony was suddenly shoved away from Rogers. His legs having turned to jelly immediately buckled and he fell to the floor shaking like a leaf, 

“My God you’re pathetic.” Rogers spat, “No wonder you’re parading around with these queers and fairies. You call yourself Iron Man, you’re not even worthy to call yourself a man..” Rogers diatribe was cut off as a large fist met with his face knocking him clean across the room.

 

Steve hadn’t been able to resist following after Tony. He didn’t want to leave him alone and undefended. So he had gone after Tony and Rogers, staying far enough away so as not to be noticed, but was close enough to hear what was being said. His jaw and fists clenching as Roger’s vitriol grew more heated and hateful, the final straw coming when he heard the unmistakable sound of flesh hitting flesh. 

Walking into the darkened room he saw Tony on the carpeted floor in the throes of an anxiety attack, and Rogers standing over him, with a trace of blood on his right hand. Tony’s blood.

 

At that moment Steve saw red. It didn’t matter that this wasn’t his world, that this wasn’t his Tony, all he could see was A Tony Stark hurt and in danger, and a threat before him, and he reacted on instinct to defend his man, punching Rogers in the face and sending him across the floor.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy New Year! 
> 
> I am issuing a prompt for anyone interested. For EMH Steve and Tony's get together that I have described in this fic to be written as a fic. <3 <3 <3 
> 
> This is a request not a demand.

Rogers struggled to sit up, his face was throbbing in a way it hadn’t in decades. Not since Red Skull had raised his fist to him in Austria all those years ago. Since the serum punches washed off him like rain drops, but this was different. This punch had not only hurt it had lain him flat on his back!

As he forced himself upright, clutching his jaw and rubbing the rapidly swelling area, Rogers saw his alternate self kneeling besides Tony.

“Are you alright?” Steve was saying, his hand gently supporting Tony’s back and cupping his cheek to turn his pale face towards him. 

“I don’t know,” Tony whispered, he looked dazed, his eyes were too wide, like that of a deer caught in the headlights or a rabbit in a trap. He was confused and uncertain, bewildered as if he didn’t know where he was or what was going on. 

“Can you stand?” Steve asked, turning Tony’s face and scowling at his bloody lip, 

“I think so,”

“He’s fine,” Rogers grunted, getting to his feet, “Did you hit me?” he asked, rubbing his face again. 

“Damn right I hit you!” Steve shot back, as he helped Tony get to his feet. “How dare you speak to Tony like that, let alone raise your hand to him.” Steve looked Rogers over, his top lip pulling back to reveal his perfect top teeth and his nostrils flaring as if he smelt something unpleasant. “You walk around all puffed up and proud, convinced of your own superiority and entitlement, when you are nothing more than a common back alley bully throwing your weight around on those smaller than you.”

Rogers’ face darkened and he took a menacing step forward, “How dare you?”

“How dare you?” Steve bellowed back with all the force of an angered bull, “How dare you call yourself a hero, a patriot, when you condemn the freedom of the greatest emotion in the world.” Steve gestured around, “Love.”

At once Rogers became aware of the fact that the music that had been playing in the background had come to a halt and that a lot, if not all, the guests at the gala were standing in the arches watching this argument, many of them with their phones out snapping pictures if not recording this on video. 

Gritting his teeth and clenching his fists, Rogers forced himself to keep his temper, he didn’t want to be pictured fighting with his alternate self, even if the insufferable bastard deserved a damn good kicking, as did Stark for that matter. 

“I did not come here to debate you…”

“No, you came here to make demands on Tony, who owes you and yours absolutely nothing.” Steve swiftly cut in, speaking over Rogers as he tried to explain, “You gate crashed a private party, agitated and upset Tony into anxiety attack and then, instead of just backing off, or trying to help him, you attack him!”

“I didn’t attack him.”

“You hit him, I saw you do it!”

“I slapped his face, that’s hardly an attack,” Rogers protested and snorted, “Hell, considered all the shit Stark’s done I’d say a backhand around the face is the least of what he deserves!”

Shock gasps rose from the guests at this and Rogers scoffed, “Oh don’t pretend you all wouldn’t like the chance to give him a good beating. It’s a shame Howard was such a lenient Father, if he hadn’t been so lax and had given Stark some real discipline then he might be a man now, instead of the pathetic, weak excuse he is now!” More shocked gasps followed and people actually had the audacity to ask if Rogers condoned Child Abuse, to which he rolled his eyes. 

“I know we now live in a time when slapping a child on the backside is considered wrong, but there is a difference between abuse and discipline!”

“Fuck you!” This remarkably came from Tony who had pulled himself out of his state of shock and was now glaring Rogers as if he were the lowest form of pond scum he had the displeasure of seeing before him. “You think Howard was too lenient?” he asked in a mocking tone, “He wasn’t lenient, or easy going, he just didn’t give a flying fuck about me unless it was to parade me in front of the cameras for publicity, the rest of the time he couldn’t have cared less if I was breathing or not, and as for discipline? Do you want to the scars from when he took his belt to me when I was five? Do you want to guess how many stitches I needed after he beat me bloody while he was pissed out of skull and fucked off because he hadn’t been able to find your sorry arse in the arctic?” Tony was shaking with rage now, he didn’t seem to notice or care that this was being recorded, or that everything that was happening would be on the internet within the hour, the only thing he could focus on was the Super Solider before him who had finally pushed him into releasing the hurt and frustration that he’d kept bottled up for so long. 

“I know I’m a disappointment to you. I know you wished that Howard were here and not me, and I know you blame me for everything that goes wrong…”

“Because it generally is your fault.” Rogers spat contemptuously, “Ultron…”

“Ultron was the name of a programme that Banner and I were working on. I did not create that android, the life force, intelligence, whatever the hell it was came out of the sceptre that you told Banner and I to study, and yes we thought that maybe the intelligence could help us in creating the Ultron AI but we were no where near close to implementing anything. The scans triggered it and it came to life, created itself a body out of the Iron Legion and Helen Cho’s cradle. And lets not forget the fact that your mind raping Hydra bitch violated my mind, triggered my fears into taking the sceptre in the first place. Had she not done that then Ultron may never have happened. So if you want to blame someone for all of this shit, blame that fucked up murderous whore!”

“She’s a kid and Hydra lied to her!” Rogers argued,

“She’s a grown woman and she can read minds, how could she not have known? There is no way that she didn’t pick up thoughts from at least one person there that would have tipped off that she was not working for Shield. There is no way she could have been in such close proximity to Strucker and not had at least some idea of what was really happening. No one is that stupid or naïve.”

“You killed her parents!” This was said in desperate, almost petulant tone. As if Rogers was scraping at the very bottom of the barrel for some way to win this argument. 

“I never even met her parents how could I have possibly killed them?” Tony sneered.

“It was your bomb.”

“It was a bomb with the name Stark printed on the side. But it was not mine.” Tony said, a small smug smile on his face, “I thought that it was one of the defective bombs that Stane sold under the table, or one stolen from the US military, which has happened in the past. So I chased up the leads and tracked down the serial numbers of the bombs used in Sokovia during their civil war, and guess what? The bomb was never mine to begin with. It was old, very old in fact, circa 1970 and issued to Vietnam during the war.”

This stopped Rogers dead in his tracks, “What?”

“The bomb was made by my Father for the Vietnamese war.” Tony explained, “At the end of the war, all the remaining weapons and arsenal should have been destroyed or shipped back to the US. But not all Generals play by the rules. Some like to line their own pockets, which this one did, and the remaining Stark weapons were sold to a black market arms dealer, who then sold them on to the Russians, where they were backwards engineered to improve soviet tech, put back together and left in a silo for thirty odd years, until Sokovia purchased weapons from Russia to aid them during the war. The Government could not afford state of the art weapons and had to make do with stuff that was decades out of date, including the bomb that malfunctioned and killed Wanda’s parents.” Tony spread his arms and sighed deeply, “So I did not kill her parents, I am not directly responsible for Ultron, I have done nothing but try to help you and be a friend to you, but I see now that such a thing is impossible. You don’t want a friendship with me, you want nothing but what you can get from me, well let me tell you here and now Rogers. I am done with you. I do not want to see you again, I do not want you calling me, texting me, or coming anywhere near me, do you understand?”

Rogers rolled his eyes and shook his head, “Must you always be so childish?”

“I’ll take that as a yes,” Tony sneered. He turned to Steve, who had remained at his side, vigilant and ready to tackle Rogers should he try to be violent again, but content to let Tony vent without interrupting him. “Take me home?” he asked. Nodding, Steve wrapped an arm about Tony’s shoulders, pulling him close and guiding him to the doors, 

“This isn’t over Stark,” Rogers called after him, “You can’t just turn your back!”

“I think he already did, schmuck!” someone called out which caused several snickers of laughter at Rogers’ expense,

“Go to hell!” Rogers spat. He rubbed his jaw again and headed for the exit, seething over Tony once again getting the last word. 

 

*****

 

“Oh God, Oh my God, What have I done!” Tony cried, as he and Steve got into the limo, “What have I done?”

“Nothing wrong,” Steve reassured him, or attempted to, but Tony was shaking his head and staring at him in shock, 

“I yelled at Captain America! I gave Captain America a dressing down in public! Everyone is going to hate me!”

“No they won’t,” Steve said, rubbing Tony’s back, and moving his fingers up to massage the back of his neck, “Everything will be fine, you’ll see. Its Rogers they’ll crucify, not you.”

“That’s not how it goes,” Tony moaned, dropping his head into his hands, “Everyone loves Rogers, its always me they hate, and they always will.”

 

*****

 

For once Tony was quite wrong. 

 

The images of the arguments and fight between Steve, Tony, and Rogers had gone onto the internet within minutes, and from there the press had taken up the story and turned it into front page news down crying Rogers for his sympathies with a known Hydra collaborator. For blaming Tony for things that had been legally proven to not be his fault, for condemning homosexuality, for saying that Howard should have beaten him when he was a child! 

Of course in Rogers childhood it was common practise for a child to be whipped with a cane, both by their parents and their teachers at school, it was only in recent years that such things had changed and been seen as abuse. 

Had Rogers not acted as he had, not said that Howard should have brutalized Tony, then perhaps people would have forgiven him for agreeing with Victorian-esque punishments due to his upbringing, and they may have even been forgiving for his views on sexuality, in his day it had been illegal. But he had been in the twenty-first century long enough to have learned better, or at least known to keep such views to himself and not condemn others for their beliefs. 

As it was he was being crucified by the media, along with Wanda for her past affiliation with Hydra. 

Demands were being made for her to stand trial for her crimes, for her to be deported back to Sokovia where she would certainly face a death sentence for treason and terrorism. 

The story Tony had told of the bomb being a Vietnam era bomb had been proven true, the media had looked into it and confirmed it, to the point where no one could deny the claim factual, no one but Wanda who was still adamant that it was Tony who was responsible. 

She alone stood on Steve’s side, while Natasha and Sam berated him for a fool. 

“Why did you even go there?” Sam cried, 

“Because I needed to speak with Tony,” Steve sighed, rubbing his temples where a headache was beginning, 

“Speak to him or start a fight with him?” Sam snapped, “Because that’s whats happened, and I think we can all safely say that you lost.”

“I didn’t lose,” Steve protested, “All this media crap will pass. It’s a faze that they’ll get over soon enough,” Sam scoffed and rolled his eyes, 

“Steve’s right,” Wanda said, “The world hates Stark, they’ll turn from him soon enough,” she smiled at Steve, “You just need to remind them who you are and what you stand for,”

“What do you mean?” Sam asked, frowning at her. She shrugged. 

“Do something heroic. Save the world again, then everyone will forget about this and just remember that you are the heroic Captain America, and that Stark is nothing but a liar and a murderer.”

Steve smiled at Wanda, his chest puffing with pride. 

“We’d better do something soon then,” Natasha said, coming into the common room carrying documents in her hands. “Stark’s cut our funding, and issued an eviction notice giving us ninety days to vacate the premise.”


	8. Chapter 8

Stark Tower

 

Tony could hardly believe the response that came from the press after his and Rogers’ altercation during the gala. He had expected to be made the villain of the piece as always seemed to happen, but it seemed that the exact opposite was happening. 

The Westboro Baptist Church had come out on Rogers side for his views on LGBTQA. But they were among a minority. Only a few random hate groups were on his side, the usual Neo-Nazi dickhead brigade that always sided against LGBTQA. It was kind of funny, in a perverse way, that Steve Rogers, the man who had punched fake Hitler in the face, was now being made a figure head by the Neo-Nazi’s. 

The rest of the country, were either on Tony’s side, or were remained neutral. 

The Papers had gone wild with the pictures that had been sent and sold to them from the Gala. 

Captain Punch Up!

All American Throw Down! 

Stark Raving Shocker! 

Were just some of the headlines that were running, more followed, along with hashtags trending, and images of Tony, Steve, and Rogers appearing all over the internet. 

The images of Tony and Steve dancing had raised the question of their relationship. 

‘They look so cute together!!!!’ One commenter said, 

‘Steve is edible and Tony looks so snug in his arms, I am jealous!’ Another said,

Superboyfriends whoohoo! Another commented, which had led to a hashtag trend of Superboyfriends# 

“It’s crazy, completely crazy!” Tony exclaimed, as he scrolled through twitter on his phone, “Holy shit, they’ve even photoshopped images of us in front of a church as if we’re getting married!”

“Tony, can you please concentrate?” Pepper sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose and letting out a sigh through her lips.

“Fucking assholes have put me in a wedding dress in this one. A meringue like wedding dress!”

“Tony!” 

At Pepper’s exasperated cry, Tony finally looked up at his CEO, “What’s up honey?” he asked, 

“The Scavengers,” Tony snorted at the name that Pepper had taken to calling the Avengers since the fight with Rogers. “I have had Rogers on the phone more than a dozen times. Even threats of having the law involved aren’t helping, and if it’s not him calling, it’s Romanoff, and that bitch knows how to bypass call blocks, or she knows someone who can do it for her.”

“More likely the latter,” Tony said, “Romanoff has a lot of contacts she can utilize at times of need, but when it comes to computers and tech, she isn’t skilled enough to be able to pull something like that off.” He sighed and offered her small smile, “I’m sorry they’re being pains. I never meant for you to get dragged into all this.”

Pepper shrugged, “I was involved since the start, remember?” she said, “Ever since Phil made initial contact. Then Romanoff, pretending to be Rushman.”

“Bitch.” Tony murmured, getting a small smile from Pepper, “They haven’t shown up here, yet, but I suppose it’s only a matter of time. I’ve been having Friday field their calls, I’ll have her do the same for you. That alright baby girl?” 

“Got it Bossman.” Friday replied. 

“On a bright note, our stock had risen fifteen percent since the Gala.” Pepper said, “And they are holding steady. Your own popularity has risen too. The last resentments over Sokovia have dried up and the focus is on the good you have done since becoming Iron Man.”

Tony couldn’t help but wince at the mention of Sokovia, he might not have been completely responsible for Ultron, but he was partly responsible and would always carry guilt over what had happened there. However, it seemed he was the only one who did. He couldn’t say for sure what Banner was feeling since he’d disappeared, but Maximoff clearly didn’t feel any guilt for what had happened and the part she had played in it. 

“There is also great support for the team you are assembling to face Thanos, should he come here. You think that he will?” 

“I think it is almost a given that he will.” Tony sighed, reaching around to scratch the back of his head, “There are too many similarities with this world and the one Steve is from. We can’t ignore this threat.”

“I know we can’t. That you can’t. Because that’s who you are.” Pepper said, looking both nostalgic and thoughtful, “That was my mistake, I think. I thought that if I gave you a good enough reason to do it, that you could walk away from Iron Man. When I should have known all along, that Iron Man is a part of you. A part that I should have accepted and learned to love too.”

“Pepper…” Tony began, but she cut him off, 

“No, we need, I need to do this.” She said, firmly, “I need to say that I am sorry for ever trying to make you chose between me and the thing that has saved so many lives, including your own. I admit that I hate the danger that comes with Iron Man, I hate seeing you hurt, and I will never be happy to see you going into battle, but I can support you and your decision to continue being Iron Man, even though I do not have the strength to be the one standing at the side lines, watching and waiting for news.” 

Tony let out a deep breath, “Jesus, Pep. What the hell am I supposed to say about that?” 

“How about you do us both a favour and say nothing?” Pepper suggested, and rolled her eyes as Tony leant forward, burying his face in her neck as he cuddled her, making meeping noises into her neck. “Oh get off me you over grown toddler!” 

“No need my Pepper hugs, my Pepperoni snuggles.” 

Pepper sighed and trailed a hand through Tony’s hair. She wouldn’t mention the slight tremors that were running through Tony’s body, nor the tears that were seeping into her blouse. Tony rarely if ever let anyone see him cry, he preferred to hide it from view, having been well taught by Howard that crying was something that only babies did, not Men, not Stark Men. 

She looked up, blinking back her own tears which burned her eyes in empathy for what Tony had withstood over the years. He needed someone to care for him, to love him, to accept him for all that he was, flaws, issues, and all. She had thought that she could be the one to do it, had been willing to accept all the flaws and issues, God knows she had already seen them all while working as his long suffering PA. But she had not taken into account Iron Man coming between them, or her own issues about it and the danger Tony placed himself in. 

She could be proud of him, supportive even, but she did not have the strength to be his girlfriend or wife, and that was her problem, not Tony’s, which was what she had hoped she had gotten through to him. 

Over Tony’s shoulder she saw Steve standing in the doorway. Their eyes met and shook her head slightly, knowing that Tony wouldn’t want Steve to see him in a moment of weakness. A look of understanding came over the Captain’s face and he gestured that he would make himself scarce, backing away silently so as not to disturb Tony. 

Pepper smiled. She liked this Steve Rogers. He was good for Tony, good for all of them. He had already proven that he was protective and supportive of Tony, and this show of understanding that Tony needed privacy showed that he was a kind and thoughtful man too. Something else Pepper approved of. She also thought that maybe the questions of a romantic relationship between Tony and this new Steve Rogers, may not be too far from the truth. 

While she did not believe that the two of them had acted upon it, she could see the way they interacted with each other, the way they looked at each other. The sexual tension was thick enough to cut with a knife in those photos. They were all but devouring each other with their eyes!

If something did develop between the two of them, then Pepper would not be surprised. But she suspected that it would take a while before they stopped dancing around each-other and realized that what they were feeling was being reciprocated. 

“Are you going to sleep on me?” she asked, when she heard a snuffle beside her ear, Tony didn’t respond, instead he snuggled further into her and breathed out deeply, his body going limp and boneless. “Perfect.” Pepper sighed, she shook her head and carefully eased Tony off her shoulder and lay him down on the sofa, placing a throw pillow under his head so his neck wouldn’t get stiff, and grabbed a blanket from the back of the sofa to lay over him. 

“Sweet dreams.” She whispered, placing a soft kiss on his cheek. 

 

*****

 

Steve had just put Lily down for a nap and was planning on doing some training. He’d been on his way to ask Tony if he was up for sparring when he had found him cuddled in Pepper’s arms. At first he had thought he had walked in on them in a delicate moment. But then he had met Pepper’s eyes and seen the worry in them. That, along with the shudders coming from Tony had let him know that it was anything but a compromising situation and convinced him to leave them too it. 

It had taken years for his Tony to relax enough around him to let him see his tears. He had hated to feel vulnerable, to show weakness, hadn’t liked letting Steve see him in such moments as he felt he was letting him down somehow. 

Part of Steve ached to go to Tony, to take over from Pepper and be the one comforting Tony, showing him that it was alright to cry, that it was a healthy way of releasing emotion and nothing to be ashamed of. But this wasn’t his Tony, this was a different Tony, one had been through worse and been hurt so many times that he had started to think that it was his due. 

Steve hated that. Hated that this Tony felt that he somehow deserved to be punished for his past, for mistakes he had made. Yes, he had been a weapons manufacturer. So? How did people think that the Military got their weapons? How did they think that they got body armour, radios, and all the other equipment that they used? Most of it came from outside contractors like Tony, and while he was known for the weapons he had designed and sold to the US military, that was not all he had provided. Choppers, Air-craft carriers, Body Armour, Helmets, even medical equipment! 

It was so unfair that people only focused on the weapons and not the rest of it. 

Tony tried to shrug it off, made smartass comments about being called The Merchant of Death, but Steve knew him well enough to know that it cut him inside. Knew that it hurt this Tony, as much as it had his Tony. 

“I can’t blame them for being angry at me, can I?” he recalled his Tony saying, when some dickhead had decided to get mouthy when they had been out getting a burger. The jackass had been half pissed and stunk of beer and sweat, ignored the servers pleas for him to just leave the establishment, having refused him service since he didn’t have enough money on him to pay, and he’d started spitting out abuse, to which both Tony and Steve had told him to shut up, had risen to escort him off the premise before he stopped being a loud mouth and turned to violence, and upon seeing Tony Stark he had let loose a stream of abuse about Tony being a Mass Murderer, how he responsible for all the destruction that had happened, how Iron Man was just another way for him to cause devastation and that he didn’t deserve the title of Hero. 

It had been all Steve could do to keep from smashing his fist into the insufferable drunks face, and he had taken pleasure in tossing the asshole into the street, literally tossing him down in fact, and told him straight to get the hell out of there or there would be a lot of pain in his near future.

Tony hadn’t wanted to talk about it, had wanted to pretend that the whole thing hadn’t happened, and Steve hadn’t pushed. Had let Tony have his privacy, hadn’t said a word when Tony had been crying into his pillow that night, simply wrapped himself about the smaller man and held him close, letting him cry himself out while providing comfort. 

 

He longed to do that for this Tony. That and more if he were being honest. 

He was still grieving for his Tony, he still wore his wedding ring, still dreamed of him, of their time together, of his death, which had him awakening with tears on his face. But he was starting to have feelings for this Tony. 

At first he had thought it was just because he was latching onto him as a subconscious replacement for his lost husband. But as time had gone on, he had realized that this was not the case. There enough differences between this and his Tony, that he knew he was falling for this man as he had for his own Tony. 

The problem with this was that he didn’t know what to do. 

Was it too soon since his Tony’s death to consider finding love elsewhere? He knew that his Tony would have said no. They had talked about it during their relationship. Had both known the risks of being an Avengers and had wanted the other to find happiness elsewhere should the worst happen. 

Well, the worst had happened for Steve. He had lost everyone but Lily, had nothing and no one left. Had it not been for this realities Tony being as Kind and generous as his own had been, then he didn’t know what he would have done. He also did not want to rock the boat, so to speak. He had no idea what Tony felt, if he had any feelings towards men at all in fact. Yes, he was supportive of LGBTQA, but that didn’t mean he was bi-sexual, only that he was supportive, and even if he was Bi, that did not mean that he would fancy Steve, he may not be this Tony’s type, and he didn’t want to make things awkward between them. 

Most importantly, he could not afford to rush into anything for Lily’s sakes. What she needed was a stable home environment. That was what he had to focus on, not sexual desires. As intense as they maybe. Yes, it would be fabulous if something developed between himself and Tony, but if it did not then he would content himself with friendship and be the best friend he could possibly be. 

A thump of the window that sounded like a fist against the glass made Steve jolt and frown. No one could hit the glass, they were sixty stories high! The noise came again, and he turned, his eyes widening and then a deep and exasperated sigh leaving him. 

Spread over the window, hanging upside down, was non-other than Deadpool.

“Hey, Captain Cute-butt, lemme in, the winds getting nippy around the nether regions if you know what I mean!” 

Steve sighed. Apparently, this worlds Wade Wilson was very similar to how his own had been. Bracing himself for what would be an exasperating conversation, filled with sexual inuendo and inappropriate comments, Steve moved to open the window and let Deadpool inside, deciding not to ask how the maniac had gotten up there since it would no doubt be ridiculous. 

“Thanks bottle-Cap! I was starting to get a head rush from hanging around like that,” Deadpool said, dusting himself off, “And not the good kind of head rush either, you know?” 

“Hey Steve?” Came Tony’s sleepy voice, “Friday said something about someone on the side of the building…” he broke off when he saw Deadpool, “Oh God.”

“Iron Balls!” Deadpool cried, with an exaggerated squeal, “You are Sooo my favourite hero ever! You are so shiny and sleek, you make me want to rub myself against you and give you a good wax!”

Tony turned a narrow eyed glare on Steve, “I blame you entirely,” he growled.


	9. Chapter 9

While they could not actually see his face, both Tony and Steve could tell that Deadpool was smiling beneath his mask, as he leered at Tony, apparently indifferent to the glares that the Billionaire was giving him. 

“Umm Bossman?” Friday asked, hesitantly, “There is an Asian Gentleman in the front lobby asking for permission to access the penthouse. It seems he knows Mr Deadpool.”

“Ooohhh Dopinder, my fluffy teddy bear, snugglebunny!” Deadpool exclaimed, actually bouncing on the balls of feet and clapping, “Hey, send him right on up, miss In the Ceiling Voice thing.” He looked to Tony, “That is so cool, by the way, that you have a voice in your ceiling. Is that like a Billionaire thing? Do all Billionaires get this when they reach Billion in the bank?” He paused and the mask on his face seemed to frown, “You don’t have a vertically challenged person up there do you? Because that is just wrong. Everybody knows, that little people have rights theses days, Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit was very educational, and really high lighted the plight that those of a smaller stature face.”

Tony closed his eyes and let out a slow breath, like steam escaping from a boiling pot. “Whatever,” he said, holding up his hands and parting them, “He is your problem, you deal with him.” This was directed at Steve, though Tony did not bother to open his eyes until he had turned around to head back to the common area, or perhaps the workshop. 

Before Steve could stop him, Deadpool was loping after Tony and wrapping an arm about his shoulders, which wouldn’t have been too bad had he not been pushing his pelvis against Tony’s hip.

“Oh, don’t be pouty, Iron Buns. Dopinder might be my snuggle bunny, but you are the Hot to my Dog! And together, you’ll be the cookie, and I’ll make plenty of cream!” 

“Gahah!” Tony gagged, shoving Deadpool away from himself.

“Oh wanna play hard to get, my metallic masturbation fantasy?” Deadpool tilted his head and spoke in a quieter voice, as if he were addressing an audience, “You see, sometimes, no matter how hot and irresistible you are, the object of your desires is not going to give out without you putting in some work.”

Tony looked at Steve over Deadpool’s shoulder, a pointed look on his face. Clearly he was still blaming Steve for all of Deadpool’s behaviour. 

“Bossman, security want to know if the gentleman in the lobby needs to be arrested, as it seems he is armed!” Friday said.

“Oh my brown baby, he is growing up so fast!” Deadpool cooed, “You’re a parent, right?” he said, whipping around and pointing at Steve, “Don’t they grow up fast? I mean one minute you are teaching them the intricacies of kidnapping their cousins, while they are driving you to hits, and next they are running over perverts with their taxi after they have helped you save a really hot handed teen with a drop of diabetes from a future guy with racism and a robot arm, who actually turns out to be useful in saving your future Baby Momma from being shot in the heart was an asshat who you can then kill with a cheese spreader!”

Somehow Deadpool managed to say all of this in only one breath! 

“He kidnapped his cousin?” Tony asked, frowning, “And ran someone over with a taxi?”

“Yeah, but the taxi splatter road kill was a pervert, so no one is missing him. And his Cousin’s death was not actually his fault, I mean Dopinder just locked him in the boot of his taxi, he couldn’t know that he was going to have an accident while the guy was in the boot.”

“My God you are actually rationalizing this and I think I am developing Stockholm syndrome as this is actually making sense to me. So, I am going to go to my lab and hang myself!” Tony said. 

“Boss, the lobby guy?”

“Oh let him up, its already a circus in here, with loud mouthed, inappropriate, heavily armed, dominatrix wannabe’s” Tony cried, waving his hand dismissively, 

“Hey I resent that!” Deadpool cried, rounding on Tony, who gave him an unimpressed look, “I am an equal opportunities guy, I am a switch all the way, I can crack the whip and I take it up the crack just as well!”

Tony looked to Steve, an alarmed look on his face, “Dear God he actually gets worse. I hate you right now.”

Steve opened his mouth to protest but once again Deadpool cut him off before he could say anything, “You can’t hate him!” He cried, with an exaggerated gasp, “He’s Captain Amazing pecs! He’s Cock King of America! He has an ass that everyone, but you and me, is jealous of, but only because we both have amazing asses ourselves, and have I mentioned how much I want to bite those ripe peach-like cheeks?”

“My balls have just crawled back up inside my body.”

“Well that’ll just give me better access to your Iron Manhood!” 

“And now my penis has joined my balls. This is great, I now sexless, five minutes in this lunatics company and I am sexless.”

“Oh baby, believe me,” Deadpool purred, “You won’t be sexless for very long, now that I am here. In fact, I’m getting really hungry, I think it’s time we made a sandwich, I’ll take a hot Billionaire between two clean sheets and Captain on the side!” 

Steve’s face turned crimson while Tony looked like he was either going to have an embolism or murder Deadpool. 

“Right.” Tony said, exhaling loudly, “Instead of hanging myself, I will be in my lab building myself a chastity belt out of adamantium!”

The lift pinged and a cheerful Indian man came into the common area, waving his hand in greeting,   
“Alright D.P, I waited until you had gotten inside the building, just in case you fell and I had to scrape you up off the side walk again like last time, and I remembered to bring the hollow points like you said.”

“Hollow points?” Steve repeated, 

“They kill anyone, including themselves, you’re cleaning up the mess.” Tony deadpanned and stalked away before Deadpool could drag him back again. 

“Ohh he is so feisty, and seriously hot when he is mad. I’ll bet that you could fry eggs on that suit of his!”

Steve winced as he heard a door slam and knew that it had been Tony who’d slammed it, “Wade, could you possibly consider not behaving in such a… you like way?”

“Why, are you jealous?” Deadpool exaggeratedly gasped and pressed his gloved hands to the sides of his masked face, “Am I in competition with Captain Amazing Ass-erica?” 

“Wade… “

“This is like a high school wet dream come true, or was it a pot induced hallucination in which I was butt naked and in the showers with Steve Rogers?” 

Steve Roger’s was a very patient man and he could take a lot of shit before he snapped, but dealing with Wade Wilson would test the patience of a saint, and Steve had never claimed to be a saint. 

“Is there any way to stop him talking, for like five minutes?” he asked, Dopinder, who had made himself at home on the corner suite sofa. He looked up from where he was stroking the soft fabric of the throw pillows and shook his head at the questions. 

“Sure there is, and I actually enjoy ball gags, especially where there are leather collars and leashes involved!”

 

*** 

 

Leaving Steve to deal with the exhausting lunacy that was Deadpool, and praying that no one got turned into a kabob while the masked Merc with a mouth was on his premises. Tony finished making upgrades to his suit and began to go through the files he had salvaged from the Data Dump. 

He'd been making progress before Steve’s arrival, getting through a fair amount every day. But since then he’d been preoccupied with developing tech for defence against Thanos, making overtures to the other heroes, and most enjoyably, spending time with Steve and Lily. (And fantasizing about Steve) but he wasn’t going to focus on that part, because it just led to him needing to spend some alone time in his bathroom. 

Tony was surprised that things were so different with this Steve. With Rogers he had felt no attraction at all. Yes, he had found the man attractive, only someone without functioning eyeballs would not notice that Rogers was a very handsome man. But that was as far as the attraction went. 

It had been an aesthetic appreciation, like one looking at Botticelli’s Primavera, or the sculpture of David by Donatello. You saw the finesse, the quality, but only in a remote and untouchable way. You never imagined actually reaching out and making them real. 

Rogers stand offish, and condescending attitude towards him, had not helped matter either. 

Tony admitted, though only to himself, and maybe Rhodey, but he had been really, really drunk at that time, and might have smoked more than one joint. That he was insecure about himself. That he tended to think that the negative things that people said about him were true and focused on them, rather than focussing on the good he did and his qualities. 

Rhodey had blamed it on Howard and Maria for being shit parents, and the fact that Tony had been mercilessly bullied throughout his school years, for being so much younger than his classmates. 

He also promised to never, ever, in a million years, even under torture, would he reveal this to anyone, because he was the bestest friend ever! 

Pepper figured out that Tony was insecure because she had freaky weird sixth sense and might actually be some kind of Jedi Goddess. Tony wasn’t sure, but he wouldn’t be surprised if that turned out to be a thing.

Being around Rogers, being around the Avengers at all, had not done anything for Tony’s self-confidence or esteem. Clint was cool, when he’d been around, but Romanoff and Rogers never let up on berating Tony for every mistake and misstep. Poked holes in armour and ridiculed any attempts he made at friendship overtures. They would also laugh meanly and give Tony pointed looks, whenever Thor compared Tony to Loki, both in appearance, since he was shorter than the rest of the team, darker than them, and had devious and intelligent mind.

Had it not been for Bruce Banner, then Tony would likely have packed in the whole Avengers Initiative thing a whole lot sooner. But Bruce never seemed to have a problem with the way things were, so Tony had become convinced that this was how family’s functioned and that he was simply not used to it, having never been in a family environment before. 

With Steve it was so different. 

The man was thoughtful, caring, deeply protective of those around him, including Tony. Did not feel the need to posture or constantly show that he was the leader. 

He had a great sense of humour, could banter with Tony, and dear God could the man flirt! 

He also, seemed more human, in a way. Less artificial than Rogers did. Maybe it was because of what could be considered his imperfections. The facial lines and the grey in his hair, he looked less like a plastic action figure, and more like a warrior who has seen battle and lived in the real world. 

 

“Boss, Deadpool and Dopinder have departed. Dopinder in the lift, and Deadpool down the side of the building!” Friday reported, Tony rolled his eyes, only half hoping that Wade would splatter himself on the pavement, not that it’d kill him, or injure him for very long, but at least it would hurt. Although, he could land on someone and kill them…

“Steve is requesting entry to the lab,” Friday asked, and yet another thing. Steve asked to be let in the lab, where Rogers had always demanded, like he had a right to be there. 

“Let him in Friday,” Tony said, flicking through the files and pausing on one that was dated December 1991.

“Tony?” Steve called, patting Butterfingers as he came into the lab, and greeted YOU and Dumm-E, 

“Over here,” Tony said, waving a hand, “Friday, what is this?” he asked the AI.

“I’m not sure Boss, there is a video though.”

“Play it.” Tony said, scooting over the bench so Steve could sit besides him, “Wanna watch a Shield/Hydra home movie?” 

“Sure, should I get some popcorn and beer?” Steve quipped back, as the grainy black and white footage of an old road began to play on the screen. 

Tony frowned, “I know this road,” he murmured, leaning forward, his eyes widening as he saw his parents car appear and be run off the road into a tree by a man on a motorbike. “Oh God,” he whispered, a hand rising to clutch at his throat, as he watched with growing horror, as Howard staggered from the car, running around to the passenger side to help Maria, only to attacked by a man he addressed as “Sergeant Barnes”

There was no mistaking it. Tony could see Bucky Barnes clearly beating his Father to death, smashing his head against the side of the car until it was completely caved in, then, as she screamed for her husband, Maria was strangled to death, as Barnes wrapped his metal hand about her throat, squeezing and squeezing until she was dead.

Tony stood up from the bench. His heart was thudding, and a cold sweat had broken out over his body. He staggered dizzily, losing his footing and falling to his knees, where he vomited onto the floor and himself. 

“Tony!” 

He heard Steve call his name, felt a warm hand on his back, but he couldn’t speak, couldn’t think, all he could do was curl his hands into fists and let out an anguished scream.


	10. Chapter 10

Tony screamed and screamed until his voice broke and he couldn’t make another sound. By which time silent sobs were shaking his body and he was blinded by the tears that were raining down his cheeks. He felt Steve wrapping him in a warm embrace and couldn’t resist burying himself into Steve’s broad chest and clinging to him like a life line. 

“Just let it out sweetheart.” Steve soothed, rubbing Tony’s back and rocking him back and forth, “It’s okay, I’m not going anywhere, I’m right here, and I won’t be leaving you alone.”

Tony snuggled into Steve, letting himself be lifted up into Steve’s powerful arms and carried across his lab to the couch, where Steve sat, with Tony cradled on his lap and in his arms, slowly crying himself out. 

While Steve soothed Tony, You got the mop and bucket, while Butterfingers got hot water, and Dumm-E got disinfectant to clean up the vomit from the floor. Considering the chemical spills, blood gushing injuries, and other mishaps they had dealt with as Tony’s bots over the years, a pool of vomit was nothing. 

Eventually Tony’s tears dried, and he was able to sit up shakily, wiping at his face with his fingers and sniffing hard. 

“I’m sorry…” That was as far as he got before Steve cut him off, 

 

“You have no reason to be sorry and every reason to be upset. Don’t feel bad about that, Tony.” He handed Tony a couple of tissues from his pocket, gratefully Tony took them and blew his nose. 

“Thanks,” He said, screwing the tissues into a ball, 

“My pleasure,” Steve replied, he glanced over Tony’s shoulder, smiling as Dumm-E brought Tony over a cup of water in his coffee mug. 

“Thanks Dumm-E.” Tony croaked, his voice having gone hoarse, “Sorry if Daddy scared you guys, and thanks for cleaning up for me.” Dumm-E whirred as if were trying to tell Tony it was alright. Butterfingers beeped and YOU chirped. 

“Yeah, I love you guys too.” Tony said, patting Dumm-E’s claw. He drew in a big shuddering breath and straightened up. “I guess I should call the Police.” He looked to Steve frowning, “Should I? It was a long time ago, and… it was the Winter Soldier. Barnes was like a puppet under their control. He can’t be held accountable for anything they made him do. But the Police might not care, and he might go to court and end up facing an unsympathetic judge who’ll sentence him to like three hundred years, and then he’ll fall apart and hang himself in his cell or something, and Rogers will hate me even more than he already does, because I’ll have killed his best friend, and…”

“Whoa, Tony, slow down and breathe.” Steve said, sitting up and wrapping an arm about Tony’s shoulders, “Just take slow, deep breaths, in and out, nice and calm.” 

Tony did as instructed, copying Steve until he felt a little calmer. “But what should I do?” he asked, “I can’t ignore this, can I?”

“No, of course not.” Steve said, “And you have to inform the authorities. This is a double murder, not reporting it means that Hydra will get away with what they have done, and if you don’t report it, you could be charged with concealing the crime.”

“I know.” Tony sighed, “But what about Barnes? He has suffered so much already. The last thing he needs is more punishment, he needs help and compassion. He won’t get that inside a prison.”

Steve frowned. The law was not something he knew that well, not beyond layman’s understanding. Really they needed professional legal guidance. 

“Why don’t you call Matt?” he suggested,

“Daredevil? Why?”

“He’s a Lawyer.” Steve said, “If anyone can advise you on what to do, and be discreet, it’ll be him. Plus, he can probably put together a defence for Bucky, so that he will be treated fairly and not just thrown in prison.”

Tony nodded, “Okay. That sounds good.” He said. He got up from the couch and noticed for the first time that he’d been sitting on Steve’s lap! “Umm… That is… I…” He was rescued from his brain freeze by FRIDAY being an angel and alerting Steve to the fact that Lily was awake and in need of a nappy change.

“Thank you FRIDAY.” Steve said, getting up off the couch, he pulled Tony into a hug, “Will you be okay for a few minutes?” he asked, not really wanting to leave Tony alone.

“Yeah, I’ll call Matt, and Pepper, OHMYGOD Rhodey is going to freak!”

“Call him.” Steve said.

“I will.” Tony said, regretting it when Steve moved back, missing the warmth of his body.

“I’ll be back soon.” Steve said, giving Tony a peck on his cheek and hurriedly headed out of the lab to see to Lily. 

“Steve just kissed me.” Tony said to himself. “He kissed me, held me in his arms after I puked,” he looked down at himself, his nose wrinkling, “And I have puke on myself, yet he hugged me!” 

“Indeed he did Bossman.” FRIDAY said, 

“Right, I need to not think about this, or I’ll go insane.” Tony said, running a hand through his hair, “Call Pepper, FRIDAY. I need to speak to her, oh, hell do a conference call and get Rhodey online too, it’ll be easier to tell them together than apart.”

 

***

 

Tony was right. Rhodey did indeed freak and insisted on coming over to the Tower, as did Pepper, so both were there when Matt arrived. 

Tony had already briefed him on the situation before he had come over so everyone was already in the loop. 

“I am so sorry honey,” Pepper said, pulling Tony into a hug. “Are you okay? No I know you’re not okay, you couldn’t be okay.”

“I’m alright Pep.” Tony said, as she pulled back and give him a glare he sighed, “Okay, I’m not, but I won’t fall apart. I’ve done that once and Steve got me through it.” 

Rhodey gave Steve a grateful smile, “Thanks man.” 

“No problem.” Steve said. He looked to Matt, “So, what happens now?”

“Now, we have to go to the Police.” Matt said, “I can put together a case for Barnes, the fact that he wasn’t in his right mind when this occurred. He has a legitimate chance of getting off on the grounds of diminished responsibility.”

“Okay, good.” Tony said, wrapping his arms about himself, “That’ll be good.”

“However, it is likely that the Police will want to exhume the bodies and do a second autopsy.”

“Really?” Pepper asked, “Will there be much point? It’s been more than twenty years, I don’t think there’ll be much left to find.”

“Forensic can examine the bones and see if the injuries were consistent with the crash or not.” Matt said. He shook his head, “This must go further than Barnes. Hydra would have had to have the pathologist who examined the bodies at the time, in their pocket. There is no way they could mistake murder injuries for those inflicted by a car crash.” 

“Probably had the cops who investigated in their pocket too.” Rhodey mused. 

“You didn’t notice anything odd when you identified them?” Matt asked Tony,

“I didn’t.” Tony stammered. “Aunt Peggy and Obie did that. Said it was better that I didn’t see them. Insisted on closed caskets too.” A horrible thought suddenly hit him, “Oh God. They knew, they had to have known.” He staggered to the couch and perched on the edge of the cushions, his body taut and hands clenched into fists. “Obie lying about it I can understand. He was an asshole. He wouldn’t have wanted the Cops pocking around the company, they might have turned up his double dealing sooner. Christ, for all I know he might have been paid off by Hydra to keep his mouth shut, could even have been part of them! But Peggy?” he looked to Rhodey, who had met Margaret Carter a few times. “She couldn’t do that, could she?”

Rhodey opened his mouth but couldn’t find anything to say, “I don’t suppose we could ask her?” Matt asked, and Tony shook his head, 

“No. She’s senile. She doesn’t even remember who she is these days, let alone anything else.” 

“She would have still been working for Shield then, wouldn’t she?” Pepper asked, “She didn’t retire until, what was it 93?”

“94.” Tony corrected, “She had a mild stroke and finally agreed to retire. So yes, she was still running things at Shield with… Fury.” His face hardened. “He knew. That bastard knew, there is no way he didn’t know about this and like everything else he kept it from me.”

“You don’t know that…” Matt began, but was cut off, by Tony jumping up from the couch and shouting, 

 

“Oh come on! This is Shield files. It was part of their intel that Romanoff and Rogers dumped all over the Internet…” Again he froze, remembering how reluctant both Romanoff and Rogers had been to have him going through the Winter Soldier files even though it could help with Steve’s obsession with finding Barnes. 

“They knew.” He whispered, “Oh my God they knew.”

Rhodey frowned, “Tony? Who knew what?”

Tony didn’t answer him though, he just turned and shouted, “FRIDAY, Suit now!”

“Got is bossman.”

“Tony, Tony, what is going on?” Steve asked, trying to slow Tony down as he headed for the landing pad, 

“They knew, they knew about this and they kept it from me.” Tony snarled, pushing past Steve, 

“Who did?” Pepper cried, followed after them, out onto the balcony,

“Romanoff and Rogers.” Tony snarled, as the assembly bots placed the suit onto him, “They knew about this, and now they’re going to pay.” Before anyone could stop him he was blasting off the landing pad, heading for the compound. 

“God damnit!” Rhodey cried, “FRIDAY War machine armour now!” 

“Does anyone remember how to say please?” FRIDAY sniped,

“Not the time.” Rhodey called back, “I need to stop Tony from doing something he’ll regret, like killing Romanoff and Rogers. No matter how much they might deserve it.”

“If you give me a ride, I’ll help.” Steve offered, Rhodey paused, looking the large man over, 

“Think you can hold on tight?” he asked, 

“I flew with my Tony plenty of times.” Steve replied with a shrug, “This won’t be much different.”

“Okay,” Rhodey agreed, standing still so the bots could get the armour on him.

“Pepper, do you mind baby sitting Lily?” Steve asked, 

“No, of course not. Go and help Tony.” Pepper replied, “And if possible, slap Romanoff and knee Rogers in the balls for me!”

Steve grinned and saluted her, then stepped onto Rhodey’s booted feet and wrapped his arms about the mans neck, holding on tight as they blasted off.


	11. Chapter 11

Compound. 

 

Rogers heard the Iron Man suit before Tony landed. 

He was outside on the lawn and turned with a frown. “Well it’s about t…” He didn’t finish the rest of the sentence as a repulser blast was fired at him and he only just had a second to dodge it, or he would have gotten the lot to his face!

“What the hell, Tony?” He cried, rolling away and springing back to his feet, taking up a fighting stance. 

Tony landed with a thump and retracted the face plate. Rogers blanched as he saw Tony’s expression. Never had Tony Stark looked angrier. Were it possible he would have steam coming from his ears he looked so furious, his entire was shaking with rage and his eyes were so dark they looked nearly black.

“How could you?” Tony snarled at him, his voice thunderous, “How fucking could you?” 

Rogers shook his head, “What?” He asked, incredulous. 

“My Parents!” Tony yelled, “Your boyfriend murdering my parents!” Rogers paled. He’d never been a good liar, but his face revealed the truth without him having to say a word. It wasn’t shock on his face, or grief, it was guilt. 

Swallowing hard, Rogers cleared his throat, “Tony I…”

“Do not bullshit me Rogers.” Tony growled, “Or, I swear to God I will blow your excuse for a brain right out of your skull!” 

“The hell you will.” Tony didn’t have time to react before he was being thrown across the lawn by Wanda’s magic. Having been drawn outside by the fight the other Avengers stood ready to defend Steve against Tony. 

Firing up the repulsers, Tony closed the face plate and circled back around, “Maximoff, Wilson, Vision, back off. This is between me, Rogers, and Romanoff.” 

“What is?” Sam cried, bewildered by what was going on. 

“Why don’t you tell them?” Tony shouted at Rogers, “Tell them how you and Romanoff hid my parents murder, how you’ve lied to my face for fucking years!”

“I didn’t lie!” Rogers protested. “And… I didn’t say anything for your own good.” Tony scoffed, glaring down at Rogers through the face plate, 

“My own good?”

“Look at how your reacting, Stark.” Natasha said, with her usual icy demeaner, “You’re incapable of being mature or rational about anything. Besides,” She shrugged, “It was a very long time ago, and you were never close with your parents…” She was cut off as a repulser blast was shot at her, catching her left arm with a glancing blow as she moved out of the line of fire just in time to avoid getting her arm blown off. 

“Tony Stop!” Rogers shouted, getting the shield ready, “Think about what you are doing!”

“Think about kicking your sorry arse? Yeah, already got that covered, Captain Sometimes my team mates don’t tell me everything.” He flew around, coming in hot and blasted at Rogers with both gauntles, the shield deflecting the blast but sent Rogers skidding back through the dirt with the force of the energy being released. 

Wanda’s magic hit Tony again, and he rolled with it, coming to stop in a familiar down fisted pose before aiming a shot at the witch, sending her running for cover. 

“Stark Man, stop this!” Sam cried, unlike Rogers, Maximoff, and Romanoff, he was the only one not suited up, reluctant to join the fight after hearing what Tony had said, what Rogers and Romanoff had admitted to. 

“Get out of the way, Wilson.” Tony barked, blasting off into the air again, he dodged a wave of Wanda’s magic, and fired at the ground near where she was crouched, showering her in earth but not actually hurting her. 

“I know you’re pissed, Stark. I would be too. But this ain’t gonna solve anything, if you hurt or kill them, all you’ll do is ruin your own life.” 

Inside the suit Tony shut his eyes, tears rolling slowly down his ashen cheeks. “My life was ruined a long time ago, Wilson.” He said, in resigned monotone. “I’ve got fuck all left to lose.” He dived for Rogers again, but Romanoff leaped up into the air, lifted by Wanda’s magic, and landed on his back, sinking her widow bites into the suit, shorting out some of the systems and showering Tony in static shocks that left burst veins and superficial burns in their wake. 

“Just get down, Stark!” She grunted, struggling to hold him, as he barrel rolled. Wanda, who’d been taking another shot at him, managed to hit Natasha, blasting her off Tony’s back. 

She landed painfully on her side, winded and wincing. 

Tony didn’t have time to celebrate though, as Rogers shield hit him in the head, sending him spiralling to the ground. He landed badly, his right arm crumpled beneath him and he let out a hoarse cry as her felt bones break. He didn’t have a chance to do more than turn himself over as Rogers was on him, pinning him down and beating at the helmet with the shield. 

Tony paused for a moment, he could blast Rogers in the gut, he had perfect aim to do it, he could kill the man right here and now. Every part of his body was burning for him to do it, but he waivered, unable to take the shot, unable to murder Captain America. 

Instead he aimed the repulsers at the ground and blasted off into the air, knocking Rogers from his torso, but the bastard wouldn’t let go, he held onto Tony’s boot, yanking him back down, and hit him again across the head with the shield. 

Tony staggered, his head spinning, blood tricking down his face from a gnash on his forehead, blasting off once more, he lined up the sights to take another shot, only for inhumanly strong arms to wrap about him and a body to force him to the ground, pinning him there. 

“I am sorry Mr Stark, but Colonel Rhodes asked that I intervene and prevent you from doing something you will regret.” Vision said, sounding apologetic.

“The hell I’ll regret it.” Tony yelled, trying to break out of Vision’s grip, “God damnit, let me go!”

“I cannot Sir.” Vision apologized, “You see, I remember JARVIS in my memory, I remember his and your interactions. So, I know, that if you do this, then you will destroy yourself, and I cannot allow that to happen.”

At the mention of JARVIS, his beloved AI, Tony crumpled. The fight going out of him. He sagged in Vision’s arms, panting and in pain. 

“I am so very sorry for your loss, Mr Stark.” Vision said, meaning Tony’s parents. “Though I cannot imagine your pain, I can, perhaps empathize with what the loss must feel like.”

 

By now Natasha had limped over to Rogers, who was watching Tony intently, ready in case he started fighting again. Sam still held back. He was in shock himself. Never had he thought that Steve Rogers would do something so twisted as to hide the murder of someone’s parents from them. He could not possibly fathom a logical reason for it, to remotely justify Rogers and Romanoff’s actions. 

Wanda, however, drew herself back up and summoned up her magic. Seeing her chance to hurt Tony she took it, blasting him out of Vision’s arms, hitting Vision in the process, and sent them both tumbling across the lawn. 

“Wanda!” Sam cried, in horror at her actions. 

“He’s going to pay!” She snarled, her eyes crimson, and magic dancing around her, “He’s going to pay for everything!” She let out another blast of magic, but Steve dropped down in front of Tony who had yet to get back onto his feet, and took the blast on his shield. 

 

***

 

“Everybody, stand down!” Rhodey bellowed, bringing War machine in for landing. 

He aimed his gauntlet repulsers at Wanda, and at Rogers, trusting Vision and Steve to take care of Tony. 

“Rhodey.” Rogers called out, “Thank God you’re here. Stark has gone mad…” He broke off as Rhodey’s face plate retracted and he was met with the Colonel’s furious gaze. 

“Don’t even try it, Rogers. I saw the fucking tape of the Winter Soldier murdering the Starks. I saw all of it. You are a heartless and spineless bastard for keeping the truth from him.” He glanced at Natasha, his top lip curling back in disgust. 

“You’ve always been a stone cold, manipulative bitch, so I can’t even pretend I’m surprised.” 

“You don’t speak to us that way!” Wanda shrieked, readying her magic, pausing when Vision placed himself between her and the Colonel. 

“He can speak however he chooses, Miss Maximoff.” Vision coolly said. “Now please, stand down, I do not want to have to restrain you.”

 

Steve’s attention was on Tony, working the releases on the armour to get him out of it. He winced when he saw the burns, the gnash, and the obvious break to Tony’s arm. 

“Next time you’re pissed off, just punch a wall honey, Okay? It might do you less damage!” he quipped, getting a weak chuckle from Tony, 

“How is he?” Rhodey called out, not taking his eyes off Maximoff. 

“He needs medical attention.” Steve replied, “He has some superficial burns, possibly a concussion, and a broken arm.”

“Medical attention?” Natasha scoffed, “What he needs is to be arrested for assault and battery, if not attempted murder!”

Steve glared at her, “I think it’ll be you and Rogers getting arrested, Romanoff.” He snarled at her. As he carefully helped Tony to get to his feet.   
“The last time I checked, concealing a crime, is in fact a crime. Not counting possible charges of Aiding and Abetting, Accessory after the fact. Attempting to pervert the course of justice.”

“What the hell are you talking about?” Rogers snarled, marching over to Steve and Tony. 

“What the police will be charging you with.” Steve said, “Over The Winter Soldier murdering Tony’s parents.”

Rogers’ eyes widened and his expression turned murderous, “You told the Police?” He shouted at Tony, grabbing him by the arms and shaking him violently. Tony let out an animalistic howl at his broken arm being jostled, and Rogers was landed flat on his back, as Steve’s fist met with his face for a second time. This time it broke his nose, completely smashing it. 

“Hey!” Wanda geared up to use her magic, but Vision was ready for her, and with a blast from the mind stone, he sent her reeling back. 

“Don’t even think about it.” Rhodey warned Natasha, his gauntlets trained on her. The Black Widow regarded him dispassionately. Though if you looked closely you could see the gears turning in her head as she thought the best way for her to get out of this. 

“Rhodey, Tony really needs to see a Doctor.” Steve called. 

“Alright.” Rhodey said, standing down, “Tony? Can you pilot the suit, or do you need a ride?”

“I’m not sure.” Tony admitted. His head was throbbing and he was feeling dizzy, not to mention his arm, which was agony. 

“I will carry Mr Stark.” Vision said, floating over to them. “FRIDAY?” he said, addressing the AI. 

“Yes Vision?”

“Can you take Mr Stark’s armour back to the tower, please. He will not be requiring it anymore today.”

“Certainly Vision. Please take care of the Boss Man.”

“My Pleasure Friday.” 

The armour closed up and blasted off the ground, heading back for Stark Tower. Very carefully, as if he were afraid that Tony might break. Vision lifted him up bridal style, while Steve hitched a lift with War Machine again. 

“Where shall we go?” Vision inquired, levitating up above the compound. 

“The nearest hospital.” Rhodey said, not liking the blood on Tony’s face, or the pallor of his skin. 

“You can’t do this Tony!” Steve shouted, staggering to his feet, clutching his profusely bleeding nose. “They’ll kill Bucky, he’s innocent!” 

“Worry about saving your own sorry ass. Rogers.” Rhodey snapped, blasting off into the air after Vision, “Because we’re not going to save you from the shit storm coming your way.”

 

*****

 

Rogers stood for several moments, watching as Tony, Vision, Rhodey, and Steve faded into the distance. His nose was healing now, the blood drying on his face and tasting horrible from where it had dripped into his mouth. 

“What do we do?” He asked, turning around, “We can’t let Tony do this.”

“We don’t have a choice.” Natasha coldly said. “We have to think of ourselves. Steve was right. We will be charged with obstruction of justice, failure to report a crime, and quite possibly aiding and abetting. We could get twenty years for this!”

Steve scoffed, “They wouldn’t charge us, we’re The Avengers.” Natasha gave him a hard look. 

“It doesn’t matter who we are. This was double murder. The courts won’t over look that, especially not the murder of the Starks.”

“Fuck the Starks, they’re all evil and deserve to die!” Wanda sneered. Balking as Steve rounded on her.

“Howard Stark was a good man, a lot better than his Son. Don’t you dare judge him for Tony’s actions.” Wanda glared back, 

“He was a murderer, a war monger, just like his Son!”

“Enough!” Natasha barked. “We don’t have time for this. Go and get your shit and get on the jet. We have to get the hell out of here before the Police come calling, and believe me, they will come calling.” When Steve looked ready to protest she employed a different tactic, “We can go and fine Barnes,” She said, in a softer tone, “Take him somewhere safe.”

It worked, Steve was agreeing in a second, and hurried into the compound with Wanda to pack. Sam on the other hand, kicked at the ground. 

“You’re not coming, are you?” Natasha asked, though it was not really a question. 

“No.” Sam said. “I can’t do this anymore. I thought I knew Steve, knew you. Turns out I don’t know shit.” He shook his head, “I don’t know how you live with yourself, you and Rogers. Living in Stark’s property, eating the food he pays for, using the equipment he builds, and never once saying a word to him.”

“It was for the greater good.” Natasha said and Sam snorted, 

“The greater good of whom?” He asked, “You? Cap? Sure as hell ain’t Stark, nor Barnes for that matter. You know, if you really believe that, then you are not just cruel, you’re delusional, and I am done with this shit, Falcon is officially standing down.”

Natasha pulled back her shoulders, her expression resolute, “Fine by me. We’ll get along fine without you.” Inside she was already wondering what the hell they would do, and how she was going to manage dealing with Wanda’s adolescent tantrums, and Cap’s self-righteous idiocy. She supposed that she could go it alone if it came to it, but she hoped that it would not, as she did not have many places she could run to now for safety, not once the news of the Stark’s murder came out. 

Then not only would her former masters in Russia be after her, but the USA and possibly the UN. That left very few countries she could bolt to, and none of them really places she wanted to go.


	12. Chapter 12

Tony had a very simple greenstick fracture to his arm and a mild concussion, the Doctors wanted to keep him in at the Hospital, but Tony refused, signing himself out as soon as the plaster had encased his arm so he could go back to the Tower with Steve. 

Matt had been to the Police and explained the situation, hanging over the evidence. The detective wanted to speak to Tony the following morning, to get his statement for the investigation. 

Pepper informed him of this when he arrived back at the tower, once she was done yelling at him for getting himself hurt, and then hugging him and making sure he was alright.

“What do you think Rogers and his merry band of assholes are going to do now?” She asked looking between Vision, Rhodey, Tony, and Steve. 

“I don’t know.” Tony said, he sounded exhausted, he was exhausted, the emotional trauma and the fight had taken all the energy from him, he was staying on his feet through sheer force of will. 

“I should head back to the compound.” Vision said, looking uncertain and uncomfortable. 

“You don’t have to.” Tony said to the Android, “You are more than welcome here.” 

Vision inclined his head looking thoughtful, “I appreciate that, Mr Stark..”

“Tony.”

“I appreciate that, Tony. But I feel I must return to the compound, if only to make my farewells.”

“Well you shouldn’t go alone.” Rhodey said, getting back to his feet, thankful he hadn’t yet taken the war machine armour off. “I’ll go with you in case there is trouble.” 

“I think I can handle anything that might happen, but thank you, Colonel Rhodes.”

“Oh call me Rhodey already, everyone else does.” Vision nodded once, agreeing to the nickname. 

“Well, I should go…”

“To bed.” Steve said, cutting Tony off before he could say he was going to the lab, he also wrapped an arm about Tony’s shoulder to ensure he couldn’t bolt there and lock himself and disappear into a work binge. 

“I think that’s an excellent idea.” Pepper agreed, smirking at Tony’s glare, “You need to rest.”

“Glad to see you’re taking such good care of him, Steve!” Rhodey praised, 

“Traitor!” Tony grumbled, but did not put up a fight, he was dead on his feet, his entire body was aching, and he felt completely rung out, as if he had been put through an old fashioned mangle. 

He hardly heard Rhodey and Vision’s farewells, or Pepper’s promise to return in the morning, he stumbled in a mindless haze to his bedroom, his knees almost giving out before he reached the bed, but Steve wrapped an arm about his waist, supporting him and helped him reach the bed. 

“Sorry,” Tony slurred, not really sure why he was apologising, but feeling like he needed to anyway. 

“You have nothing to be sorry about,” Steve assured him, kneeling to pull off Tony’s shoes, and lifted his legs up onto the bed, getting Tony to lay down, “Do you need anything?” He asked, his brow creasing at the pallor of Tony’s skin and the look of desolation in his eyes. He’d been running on adrenaline only and now that was used up he had nothing left to sustain him. 

He shook his head, curling up in a loose foetal position. To Steve’s eye he looked fragile and vulnerable, and he wanted nothing more than to wrap himself about Tony and protect him from the world. 

“Are you sure?” he asked, getting a nod and Tony turned away, pushing his face into the pillows. Steve rolled his lips, forcing himself to back away, but when he heard a muffled sob his resolve crumbled. He was back across the room within two strides, up onto the bed in one fluid motion, and had Tony pulled into his arms, head against his chest a moment later. Neither of them spoke, there was no need for words, Steve held Tony, rubbing his back until he had cried himself out and fallen asleep, the Captain had intended to leave, but he was warm and comfortable, the bed was very soft and he felt too cosy to move.

“Just ten minutes.” He said to himself, closing his eyes. He was asleep a few minutes later. 

 

*****

 

Compound.

 

The base was eerily silent as Vision and Rhodey arrived and stepped through the doors. Both were on their guard, expecting an attack to come, most likely from Wanda who was the most trigger happy so to speak, Rogers and Romanoff knew to hold back and wait for an advantage before firing where Wanda just ploughed in. 

“If I didn’t know any better I would say we’ve returned to a ghost town.” Rhodey murmured, 

“Ghost town?” The Colonel smiled, “It’s a saying, an abandoned town, or house.”

“Ah, metaphor, interesting.” Vision glided further into the compound his form between solid and immaterial which would make an attack harder, “I don’t think that there is anyone here.” He said turning around to face Rhodey, then movement from of the corridors caught their attention and they both turned, Rhodey powering up a repulsor just in case. 

Sam came into the common area, holding his hand up, palms facing them when he saw the armed repulsor, “I’m not gonna fight you guys,” he said, “I was just packing my shit up, I guess I’ll be heading back to DC.”

Vision lowered down to the ground and solidified, while Rhodey remained on guard. “Where is everyone?” Rhodey asked, looking around, “Rogers, Romanoff, Maximoff?”

Sam shrugged, “Gone. They bolted soon after you left. Natasha knew that the cops would arrest her and Cap for hiding the Stark’s murder, she convinced him that they had to run, Wanda went with them.”

“But not you?” Rhodey asked, not quite ready to give Sam the benefit of the doubt just yet, Sam shook his head. 

“I couldn’t get on board with what they are doing. Hiding the murder of a friends parents, lying to them while living off their dime, its fucked up, its… Christ I don’t even know the word for it its so sickening.”

Slowly Rhodey powered down his suit and sighed, “I don’t suppose they said where they’d be heading?” 

“No, Europe somewhere,” Sam said, “I think Natasha is more interested in getting to somewhere with no extradition treaty while Rogers wants to find Barnes.” Rhodey snorted, rolling his eyes, as if that was news. 

“You are planning on leaving then?” Vision said, changing the subject, Sam shrugged again, 

“Well, there doesn’t seem to be any point in my staying here, the Avengers are gone, what use is The Falcon on his own?”

“Not much, maybe, but if he were to ally with another team…” Rhodey trailed off as Sam clearly got the idea, 

“Would St… I mean Mr Stark even want me on his team? I haven’t exactly been great to him.”

“Tony is not generally the sort to hold a grudge,” Rhodey said, “I’ll ask him first, but considering what we maybe facing, I doubt that he would want to turn away another fighter for the cause,” He looked to Vision, “You should think about it too.” Vision gazed at him appraisingly, 

“I am not a fighter, as such.” 

“You handled yourself well the last twice you’ve gone into battle,” Rhodey said, “And we need all the help we can get, and I’m sure that Tony would be happy to have you on our team.” Vision hummed and inclined his head, 

“I will give this some thought.”

“Do that,” Rhodey said. He pressed the mechanism to open the suit and stepped out, “Now, how do you guys feel about getting pizza?”

 

****

 

Tower

 

It was around midnight when Tony awoke, half buried beneath Steve’s body. The larger man was snoring against his back and his arms were wrapped tightly about his waist, holding Tony close as if he were afraid that he might slip away. 

“This could be embarrassing,” Tony murmured, trying to squirm free, but Steve only held on tighter and murmured against his neck, kissing him gently. Tony’s cheeks flamed and he willed his cock not to respond, not that it listened to him, hardening anyway. 

“Steve, I think…”

“Sleep baby,” Steve purred, rubbing his face into Tony’s hair, “Talk later,”

Tony groaned, trying to loosen Steve’s hold only to find himself flat on his back with Steve on top of him, a hard cock that was not his own pressing against his thigh! 

“Steve!” 

“Yeah honey?” Steve whispered kissing at Tony’s jaw, 

“STEVE!” the most insistent tone of voice woke Steve up enough to stop what he was doing and he stared down at Tony, his eyes widening in shock, 

“I… sorry, I didn’t… we were, I was…”

“It’s okay, you were asleep,” Tony reassuringly said, he made to move and regretted it as his erection thumped into Steve, the larger Man blinking in surprise and suddenly becoming aware of his own erection rubbing against Tony’s thigh. 

“I guess we should…” Tony began, trailing off and nibbling at his bottom lip,

“Yeah…” Steve mumbled, neither man moved, they stared at each other, unable to tear their eyes away, then as one they moved forward sinking into a deep kiss.


	13. Chapter 13

Tony moaned and leaned into Steve’s massive body. He felt dwarfed by the sheer bulk of the other man. His hands were not wide enough to span the expanse of his muscles and the power coiled inside them was intoxicating. Tony knew that Steve could snap him in half without even breaking a sweat. He’d probably only need one hand to crush Tony’s throat and yet he was so gentle as he cradled him, his fingers tender almost revering. 

It was moving how careful Steve was being with him, how much care he was putting into his touch, holding back so he did not accidently hurt Tony, but it was not enough, Tony wanted more, wanted to be held tight, to be pinned down and owned by Steve, to be claimed by him and to feel it for hours after. 

Biting down onto Steve’s bottom lip, just enough to nip him, Tony breathed huskily into the other man, “I won’t break.”

Chuckling appreciatively, Steve adjusted his grip, tightening his hold on Tony and moving them so the Billionaire was beneath him. He could feel Steve’s erection against his thigh, hard and damp with precum, and Hello! Steve was big all over. Tony would bet that there was a good nine or ten solid inches rubbing happily against his thigh and the thought of having that firm flesh buried inside him made his own cock twitch and leak between his and Steve’s stomachs. 

“Do you have anything?” Steve asked, sitting up for a moment, giving Tony a good look at his washboard abs and firm pectorals. He couldn’t help but to feel a little intimidated by Steve’s perfect physique. While he was not over-weight, Tony was well aware that he was not as fit as he used to be, nor did he have a six pack. When he was eating properly his abdomen tended to have a slight roundness to it these days, thanks to his metabolism slowing with the onset of middle age. 

However, the insecure thoughts did not linger in Tony’s mind, one look at the adoration in Steve’s eyes and the very hard reminder at his thigh was clear enough indication of what Steve’s thoughts were in regards to his body. 

Grinning, Tony pointed at his bedside table where he kept condoms and lube. Pausing briefly to kiss him again, Steve moved to grab the lube and a condom, giving Tony the chance to admire his sculpted backside and to cheekily give the cheeks a slap.

“Hey!” Steve laughed, “I’ll have you over my knee if you do that again!”

“Promises, promises.” Tony purred, leaning back against the pillows and watching with rapt attention as Steve lubed up his fingers. He lifted his left leg, maintaining eye contact with Steve the whole time, as he placed his heel on the man’s shoulder and smirked at him. 

“Incorrigible.” Steve said, sliding his fingers underneath Tony and inserting the first digit. Tony stiffened, biting down on his bottom lip. “Alright?” Steve asked, 

“Its just been a while.” Tony said, trying to get his body to relax. A while actually meant years since he had been with another man. 

“For me too.” Steve murmured, waiting for Tony to relax, but as he said those words a horrible thought came into Tony’s mind. 

Was Steve doing this because he was looking to reclaim what he’d had with his own Tony. Was he making do with this universes pale imitation? Tony had no doubts that Steve’s Tony had been twice the man he was. He’d certainly not made the same mistakes, and he and Steve had been married, they had a daughter together, of course Steve wanted him back, would have him any way he could.

“What is it?” Steve asked, seeing the lust dying in Tony’s eyes even as the Billionaire fought to keep his emotions from showing on his face. 

“Nothing” Tony lied, forcing a smile, and he squirmed, bucking his hips to encourage Steve to continue. It might not be the way he wanted it to be, but at least he would get to be with Steve and he wasn’t about to let such an opportunity pass him by just because he was not the Tony that Steve wished he was.

 

Steve however did not continue to stretch him, in fact he removed his finger altogether and sat back on his knees. “Steve, c’mon!” Tony whined, reaching for him, but Steve held him off, 

“Not until you tell me what’s wrong.” 

“Nothing, I’m fine. Now let’s get this show on the road!” 

Steve frowned at the choice of words, “You… do you see this as a one night thing?” He asked slowly, “Or as something lasting.” Tony opened his mouth to speak but Steve cut him off, “Because I want more with you than one night of fun. I don’t think less of people who have one night stands but I do not have them myself. I prefer something that lasts.” 

Tony’s breath caught in his throat as he gazed into rich royal blue eyes that held not a single lie within them. Steve was being honest in his intentions, he was not looking to just buy Tony with pretty words, have his way and depart before dawn, he really did want more than a tumble beneath the bed sheets. 

“I’m not him.” The words were out of his mouth before he could stop them and Tony regretted them the moment he saw the hurt on Steve’s face.

Nodding his head and taking a deep but regretful breath Steve moved back, away from Tony. “I understand.” He said, as he slid out from between Tony’s thighs, leaving the Billionaire feeling bereft and exposed in more ways than one. “After what you’ve just been through I should have known better than to do anything. You need comfort and support. Its natural and I understand and I promise I don’t hold it against you.”

Tony was confused, not able to understand what Steve was saying or what he meant. But as Steve stood, looking for his discarded trousers, obviously intending to leave he called out to him, “Wait, what?” 

“It’s fine Tony, really.” Steve said, his voice too tight and the words sounding false. “I get it and its okay.”

“Whats okay?” Tony asked, getting off the bed and pulling the sheet after himself so he had something wrapped around his body, “What are you talking about?” 

“You only want a one night stand and I want more than that.” Steve said, “So I think it is probably best if I go so that neither one of us gets hurt and our friendship isn’t damaged by anything that we do here.” Tony was reeling, as he tried to follow Steve’s train of through. He wanted more than a one night stand, he thought that Tony didn’t? 

“I don’t!” He blurted, halting Steve’s progress in finding his shirt, “I don’t just want one night, I want more too.”

Now it was Steve’s turn to look confused, “Why did you say that you weren’t him then?” 

“Because I’m not.” Tony said, “I’m not your Tony. I’m not young anymore, I’m not perfect, and…”

“And you thought that I was making do.” Steve finished making Tony wince, it sounded even worse when spoken outloud, an insult to Steve’s integrity, and Tony did expect Steve to storm out of the bedroom in insulted disgust, but to his amazement Steve did not do that, instead let his shirt fall from his hands crossed the room to take Tony into his arms and kiss him very gently. 

“What is it with Tony Stark and the universal belief that he is not perfect?” He asked very quietly, “Is it some kind of blind spot you all have in you that keeps you from seeing how beautiful you are?” 

Tony couldn’t speak, all he could do was gape at Steve as he chuckled fondly and stroked his thumb over Tony’s cheek.

“I know you are not the Tony I had in my universe. While there are similarities between you, I can also see the differences and I assure you, Anthony Gregory Stark…”

“Edward.” Tony corrected, “My middle name is Edward.” 

Steve looked surprised at the difference there and smiled, “Anthony Edward Stark, that I am in love with you for who you are, just as I was for who Anthony Gregory Stark was, and while I will always miss him and mourn his loss, I would not trade you for him nor wish that it was he in your place.”

“God.” Tony breathed, running his hands up Steve’s perfect torso, “You are so perfect, so unbelievably perfect.”

“I’m really not.” Steve chuckled, “No one is. We all have flaws. But when we love someone we love them so much that we overlook the flaws and maybe love them because of their flaws, as they make us feel more secure with our own.” 

“That’s deep.” Tony mused, and he sighed, “We kind of lost the mood, didn’t we?” 

“Hmm, we could get it back.” 

Before Tony even knew it was happening, Steve had him in a bridal hold and was carrying him back to the bed, laying him down and kiss him down into the pillows. “Now, where were we?” He asked, making Tony laugh and gasp as Steve began to kiss his way down his chest and belly, heading for his cock, which he swallowed with a practised ease. 

Tony bit down on his bottom lip and gripped the bedsheets, twisting and turning as Steve sucked him down, his teeth providing a wonderful friction and his tongue tormented him and drove him half out of his mind. 

He wanted to move, was trying to move, to buck his hips and push up into the heat of Steve’s mouth, but he couldn’t, Steve was holding his hips to firmly, was keeping him pinned and making him a slave to the sensations he was allowing him. It was maddening and perfect and Tony was both desperate for release and for this to go on forever. 

He writhed helplessly, keening and mewling as Steve’s cheeks hollowed and he took him deeper than ever, gripping him tight enough for there to be bruises on Tony’s hips in the morning, clenching toes and throwing back his head, Tony came, crying out shamelessly and spilling down Steve’s throat. As he lay panting and trying to gather up his blown apart brain cells, Tony felt Steve move and lay himself over him, his head resting on his stomach, and when he looked down he was met with a pair of shining sapphire eyes. 

“You look beautiful all flushed and sated.” He growled and Tony laughed helplessly, feeling rather like a boneless fish. 

“Gimme a sec for to regain use of my limbs and I’ll return the favour.” However Steve shook his head, 

“I’d rather be inside you.” Tony’s dark eyes light up at the thought and he nodded eagerly. Laying languidly as Steve retrieved the lube and slicked them both up. With his body sated it was easier for him to relax enough for Steve to enter him, though Tony knew he’d be feeling it come the morning as he was stretched and filled with the Super soldier’s girth. 

Ever patient Steve waited until Tony was ready before he began to move, rocking in and out of his body, his cock pummelling Tony’s prostate and having him hard again within moments. 

Refusing to just lie there and take it this time around, Tony bucked up into Steve, meeting each thrust and arching his spine as much as he could, so much so that Steve eventually lifted him and held him up, with Tony sitting in his lap, riding him hard and fast.

The tight grip Tony had on Steve’s shoulder should have been painful but Steve barely felt it at all, he was too focused on Tony and the feel of him against him and memorizing the sight of his dilating dark eyes and shape of his mouth as he cried out in passion. 

His hands spanned Tony’s back, stroking every inch of him. He hissed as Tony’s sharp teeth bit into his throat as Tony’s second orgasm approached and Steve tensed, waiting for Tony to start to come before he began to thrust in earnest into the clenching heat of his lovers body, bringing himself to climax and laying them both back down onto the bed to let the afterglow flow over them.


	14. Chapter 14

When Steve first awoke he didn’t remember where he was, then the memories of the night before came rushing back and he rolled over to cuddle around Tony only to find the other side of the bed empty. 

“Tony?” 

“Bossman is attempting to make you breakfast in bed, Captain Rogers.” FRIDAY informed him, “I do have the fire department on standby and am ensuring that nothing he concocts will cause death!”

Steve chuckled at that and debated whether or not he should go and assist the billionaire. “Is Lily awake yet?” He asked FRIDAY.

“She is indeed, and has been changed and fed by Bossman, and is currently watching the war bossman is having with the kitchen appliances. If it reassures you at all, she seems to find the whole thing very amusing.” Steve couldn’t hold back his laughter and decided to go and rescue the kitchen from Tony before it got set on fire, or blown up, or attacked with a gauntlet if Tony became frustrated and decided to take it out on the kitchen. 

 

After relieving himself, he pulled on his boxer shorts and made his way to the kitchen, coughing a little as he was greeted by a cloud of smoke. 

“Goddamnit Toby I said golden brown not charcoal!” 

Toby beeped made an indignant popping noise with his springs, offended that Tony did not accept the blackened remains of bread that lay smouldering besides him. 

“Oh don’t you go getting uppity with me, buster. You can save that sass for Barton, if you bug me I’m gonna turn you into a hot plate, then all you’ll be doing is warming pre-cooked food. You’ll have no free will or abilities to fry things, you’ll just sit there on a table with plates on top of your for the rest of your life.”

Somehow, and Steve had no idea how, the next beep that came from Toby sounded contrite. 

“Uh huh, I should think you are sorry.” Tony said, bringing Toby a couple of new slices of bread, “Now, just make these slightly brown, not blackened, not smoking, just browned, okay?” 

Toby beeped happily and proceeded to accept the bread and began to toast it, very carefully. 

As he went by, Micky the Microwave beeped at Tony and opened his door, looking expectant. 

“What?” Tony demanded, “You won’t cook meat, you won’t cook eggs, and you can’t toast things. What could you possibly contribute to this breakfast?” 

Micky slammed his door shut and made a static noise that sounded like a sulky huff! 

“God spare me from sulky AI’s.” Tony grumbled going to the oven where he was cooking Bacon, sausages, and eggs. He turned the sausages, swearing when he burned his fingers but continued to use them anyway. “FRI, the sausages are looking burned.” He complained, 

“You should have turned them sooner, Bossman.”

“Well why didn’t you tell me that?” Tony complained, as he turned the bacon, burning himself again, 

“Because you ordered me to, and I quote, “Butt out of my culinary endeavours, I know what the fuck I am doing!” FRIDAY replied sounding smug, 

“There’s no need to get snippy, missy.” Tony grumbled scowling at the eggs, which had become stuck to the pan. Thankfully he used a spatula to scrape them from the pan before going to get another couple of eggs from the fridge, snagging the toast from mid air as he passed Toby, the toast was slightly singed, but edible, which for Toby was a miracle. 

“Thank’s Tobes.” Tony said, setting it down on a plate, “If only I’d AI’d the oven too….”

“Please Sir, No.” FRIDAY pleaded, 

“Oh come now FRI, don’t you want a little sister to play with?” 

“Frankly Sir, I do not have the time for such things, when I am caring for the dysfunctional siblings I already have, and I believe Cathy wants your attention as she is attempting smoke signals with steam again.” 

“Whassup Cathy?” Tony called, cracking the eggs into the frying pan, “Don’t worry, I’ll be getting a couple of cups from you soon.” He turned the sausages again, groaning at the blackening flesh, “God I suck.”

“I don’t know, I think you’re pretty great myself.” Tony jumped as Steve said this, the Captain strolling into the kitchen and wrapping his arms about Tony’s waist, kissing his neck, “Bringing me breakfast in bed, hmm?”

“I was gonna,” Tony said, “But you’re up now, and this…,” He winced as one of the yokes broke, “May not be that good.”

“It’ll be fine.” Steve assured him, after all, he’d eaten worse back in the war. A broken yoke, and some burned sausages were nothing compared with the ration packs he’d lived off. 

“I just wanted it to be perfect.” Tony said morosely. 

“And it is.” Steve breathed, “Now how about we finish this off together, then take it back to bed with us, along with Lily?” 

“Okay.” Tony agreed, easily giving in to Steve, though it might have something to do with how the larger man was flush against his back and was kissing his neck…

 

A few minutes later, they were sat back in bed sharing breakfast with Lily sat between them chewing on an Iron Man plushy that Pepper had gotten her and babbling to herself happily. 

“How about we take the day off?” Steve said, “Just leave work alone for a day and go to Central Park, or Coney Island, or just sit around watching movies all day?” Tony frowned, 

“I have to talk to the Police, don’t I?” 

“One day won’t hurt, Tony.” Steve assured him, “Come on, you’ve earned a rest, lets just pack up a picnic and go to the park, let Lily crawl about on the grass and just enjoy the sunshine.” 

Tony was tempted, by God he was tempted. To spend a day just relaxing instead of worrying about Thanos, about dealing with the Ex-Avengers, to simply have some fun instead of working.

“I guess that one more day wouldn’t matter.” He said and felt elated as a smile lit up Steve’s face, and he knew he’d made the right choice. Lily apparently agreed as she gave a squeal of delight and grabbed her feet, sliding down the pillows and laughing as she landed on the mattress on her back with her limbs in the air. 

“She is going to be a nightmare when she starts walking.” Tony sighed, dreading trying to keep the little imp out of trouble, 

“Tell me about it.” Steve groaned, staring down into big, shining eyes and a gummy smile that promised mischief as soon as she had full control over her limbs. Never mind Thanos, never mind super villains, looking after Lily was going to be their greatest battle!

 

******

 

Portugal 

 

The three now rogue Avengers had flown as far as Portugal before setting down and taking a rest. Steve and Natasha had taken it in turns flying the jet. Wanda wasn’t capable of handling the aircraft and so had little to do but bring them coffee and snacks along the way and check the news updates. 

Natasha had brought them down outside of the city and away from the population so they could avoid contact with the locals. News of the Stark’s murder may not have made it into Europe yet, but it would soon, as would their own flight from America, so it was best to keep a low profile. At least that was what Natasha said. 

Steve felt that they should get the chance to tell their side of things, and would have argued with Natasha if she hadn’t reminded him that they had yet to find Bucky and save him from Stark. 

This quieted Steve as he knew that they had to get Bucky safe before taking on Stark. 

No doubt the spoilt Billionaire would have his lawyers and secretaries working tirelessly to paint them as the bad guys. That alternate reality him would be backing Tony up, making himself out to be a hero, when hadn’t he already proven he’d failed? He’d let his world burn while fleeing like a coward. 

Okay so he had a daughter, he could have sent her through with her Mother couldn’t he? Then he could have fought on like a man, not turned tail and run. 

Poor child, orphaned. Being raised by a false hero and a spoilt brat. Neither were suitable parents in Steve’s opinion. Lucy or whatever her name was should have been taken into care. 

 

Rolling over on his bunk, Steve looked at Natasha sleeping soundly as only a soldier could, having learned to just fall asleep whenever and wherever they got the chance to conserve energy, and Wanda, curled up in a ball in the bunk beneath. 

It wasn’t fair. Both had lost so much already and now they were being forced to run again. Natasha had never known any home but Shield and the Avengers, and Wanda had lost her family because of Stark only to lose her home again because of him. 

If anyone here was a Villain, it was Tony Stark. He should be the one on the run, not they. He should be made to pay for his crimes. Not an innocent child like Wanda, or an abused prisoner of War like Bucky. 

Steve rolled back onto his back and stared at their ceiling. Once he had Bucky back he’d set about exposing Stark for what he was. Make the world see him in his true colours, show them that The Merchant of Death had not changed and that Iron Man was just another ego trip for him. 

Once he did that, once he made everyone stop singing Stark’s praises and made them see him for what he was, Steve could show them the truth about Bucky, bring him home, where he belonged. 

 

***** 

 

Bucharest 

 

Plums. James liked plums. Winter liked them too. Juicy, sweet, and crisp. They were the best fruit ever and they both liked indulging in them whenever they had the chance. 

The job they had doing manual labour for cash in hand wasn’t much, but it covered the rent and brought grocery’s, including a pound of plums a week. 

They limited themselves to one a day, made it a sweet treat at the end of their day before going to bed. They didn’t sleep much. Their body didn’t need it and nightmares kept them awake too much. But there wasn’t much to do at night. They didn’t like going out into town, going to bars or whatever it was people did. 

Too noisy, too crowded, too unsafe. 

They had only a couple of working channels on the box TV they had, and no books to read, so late at night, going to bed was their only option, even if it meant laying in the dark for hours on end bored and restless but not sure of what else they could do. 

They did help out the old lady next door, who had to be a hundred and twenty if she was a day. She was an old dear, still insisted on living in her own home and caring for herself despite what her kids and grandkids said, fretting over her being alone. 

They had carried her bags up the stairs for her, and changed some light bulbs for her, and when there had been a power cut, had gone round to make sure she was alright. 

She had taken it upon herself to spoil them since, giving them baked goodies to “Feed them up” as apparently they were too skinny and needed looking after. 

Winter had never had sweets before and adored the taste of pastry, cakes, and cookies, getting positively gleeful at the taste of chocolate! 

Hydra never gave them anything like this and Winter was keen to sample all things that tasted “Good” since escaping. 

 

Since escaping Hydra and getting this place they had tried to stay aware of the news that was going on in the world, always ready to run at the first sign of trouble. Well James was, Winter wanted to fight. He always wanted to fight. 

They had been confused by the new, different Captain Steve Rogers who’d appeared on the TV with the Mechanic that Hydra had always been interested in. They heard words they didn’t understand about dimensions and multiverses, and figured that some crazy science thing had happened to bring this Steve here. 

Their Steve, or Bucky’s Steve wasn’t happy about it, or so the follow up reports seemed to suggest. James wasn’t certain what to make of it, Winter couldn’t give a damn and was very vocal about that! 

The homophobia made James want to stay away from Bucky’s Steve even more. He liked Men himself, and Dames. Liked them both, but Bucky’s Steve didn’t like that, didn’t approve. Had he known it about Bucky? James couldn’t remember, he doubted it though and resolved to stay away. 

To keep to his quiet, simple life in Bucharest with Winter, enjoying plums and whatever tasty pastry the old Lady gave him for helping her with her shopping.


	15. Chapter 15

“So when you’re jacking off, do you ever end up tangling your balls in your spider string?” 

The very inappropriate question came of course from Deadpool, who was lounging across the sofa talking to an uncomfortable looking spider-man. 

Tony, who was carrying Lily in his arms, gazed at Steve with a glare, “I blame you entirely”

Steve opened his mouth to protest but he didn’t get a chance to speak as Deadpool leapt up from the couch with a loud cry of delight, “Captain hotpants and Iron Buns, God you two look delicious, it makes me want to smear ice cream all over you and lick it off!” 

“God, he never stops does he?” Tony groaned, shifting Lily who was staring at Deadpool apparently fascinated by his garish costume. 

“Mr Stark! OhmyGod, its really you, I am such a huge fan of you and Iron Man, you are like my ultimate hero, you are so super cool!” Spider Man cried, “Is that baby Lily? Oh my God she is so cute, she looks like you! Well that makes sense she is technically your daughter isn’t she? Do you think she’ll grow up to be a superhero? Well how could she not when she’s your daughter? And Captain America! Wow, you’re so big I mean like really big!” he made hand gestures at his shoulders meaning Steve’s impressive musculature. He looked between Steve and Tony and cocked his head, “Are you two like… you know,” Again came the hand gestures and Tony closed his eyes and let out a deep exhale. 

“Okay, stop before you give yourself an embolism, kid.” He said, and looked at Deadpool, “And you, out!” 

“Oh that’s nice, you’re friendly neighbourhood Deadpool stops by for a nice chat and a maybe a bit of group masturbation, he even brings a friend along with him to join in…”

“By that he means he grabbed me off the side of a building and dragged me here under duress.” Spiderman put in, 

“As I was saying, he even brings a friend along, carries him so he doesn’t get over tired, and what does he get? Insults and ingratitude!” 

“You carried me over your shoulder by my legs and had my face banging into your ass!” Spiderman exclaimed, “I was nearly face planted in the crack!” 

“And it would have been a cracking good time!” Deadpool declared, completely unrepentant, “And speaking of crack, want me to go and shove my swords between your scrawny twins crack?” this was directed at Steve who opened his mouth, sighed and just gave up with a groan. 

“Why are you here?” Tony demanded of Deadpool, “And why abduct the kid?” 

“I’m not a kid!” Spiderman protested, and Tony gave him an unimpressed look, 

“Your voice still squeaks, you’re a kid.” 

Spiderman appeared to pout, but Deadpool wrapped an arm about his shoulders pull him into a hug that Spiderman really didn’t want but was forced into anyway. “Don’t worry Spidey-pie, Iron Buns is just feeling sore today, Captain Amazing probably did it a bit too rough…” This was as far as Deadpool got before Tony was shoving Lily into Steve’s arms and grabbing Deadpool by his outfit and marching over to the landing pad obviously intending to throw him off it! 

“Oh my God is he going to kill Deadpool? Can Deadpool die? He can’t can he? But he’ll make a big mess on the pavement when he splats there!” Spider Man babbled as he and Steve hurried after them, 

“Tony you can’t throw him off the tower!” Steve called, 

“Why not, the irritating fuckface will survive it.” 

“Why are you calling me fuckface? Is it because you want me to fuck your face?” Deadpool asked Tony, having all the self-preservation instincts of a blind lemming. Snarling wordlessly Tony hauled Deadpool closer to the edge and Steve hurried handed Lily to Spiderman who gulped loudly at being given a baby to hold, his eye slits going wide when she slapped his masked face and laughed loudly at him. 

“You can’t throw him off the tower, he might land on someone and kill them.” Steve protested, wrapping his arms around Tony’s waist and pulling him back, 

“And it’ll leave a hell of a mess on the side walk.” Spider Man called, holding Lily with one arm while dangling spider silk over her head which he waved back and forth as she made grabby hands for it. 

“You tell ‘em Spider-Spunk!” Deadpool cheered, and proceeded to plaster himself against Tony’s side humping him, “Besides, Iron Buns, we’ll never get to have that threesum I’ve been wet dreaming about since we first met.” 

“Get him off me or I swear I will amputate my own limbs!” Tony growled kicking at Deadpool like he was a rather a nasty smelly dog, not that it made much difference, as Deadpool continued to cling like a limpit as they went back inside the tower. 

“Why are you here?” Steve asked, helping Tony to extract Deadpool from his side and took Lily back from Spiderman. 

“To get Spider-baby signed up to the super-sexy-super powered club.” Deadpool replied, “Why else? Did you think I just stopped by to check out your ass?” he paused and looked into space speaking as if to an audience, “Of course I stopped by to do that too, but you should never give away all your secrets at once.” 

“You’d like to sign up with the team we’re assembling?” Steve asked Spiderman who nodded enthusiastically, 

“I’m kind of a solo act, but in the event of like an invasion, then I’d be happy to help. I mean I can’t be a friendly neighbourhood spiderman if there’s no neighbourhood can I?” 

“Likewise kid, I can’t be a friendly neighbourhood Deadpool…”

“The only neighbourhood you’d be friendly in is a morgue you deranged blow up doll!” Tony shot back at Deadpool, who placed his hands over his heart as if hurt, then grinned, 

“It is stiff competition in such a place but the denizens are pretty chilled once you get to know them!” Tony made a pained noise and buried his face in his hands, 

“Please just kill me, if I have to listen to this shit any longer I’m gonna slit my own throat!” 

“Shit!” 

Four heads snapped in Lily’s direction, eyes wide with shock and dawning horror as they all realized that at eight months old Lily had not only spoken her first word at an early age, but it had been a word that they would have rather she did not say. 

“Uh, honey, no, don’t use that word, that’s a bad word.” Steve said, staring at far too innocent eyes and a big gummy smile, 

“Shit, Shit, Shit!” 

“FUCK!” Tony groaned planting his face into the couch with a dramatic groan, “Fuck, fuck, fuckity fuck!” 

“I think you need to stop or she’ll start saying that too.” Spiderman warned him, “And wow, she’s really advanced isn’t she?” 

“Gets is from her Dad.” Steve said looking proud at Lily despite the fact the word was not really the best one. 

“This is the best shit ever!” Deadpool declared. 

“Shit!” Lily agreed making the adults about her, except Deadpool groan.

 

*****

 

Despite his unorthodox addition to the team Spider-Man, AKA Peter Parker was a very welcome member of the new team of allies they were building. 

Tony set about making the kid a decent suit to wear so he would actually have some protection on his body rather than the spandex crap he was currently wearing, he was going to make sure that the suit was flexible as well as durable so it wouldn’t hinder Peter’s abilities or weigh him down, while still providing him with protection from injury. 

With Rhodey acting as mediator, Sam was officially recruited to the team as Falcon, and would continue to live at the Compound with Vision, travelling to the Tower several times a week for updates and planning. 

Between them, Vision and Tony were working to get the Iron Legion back up and running, this time under control of Vision and Friday, to be used as the first line of defence against Thanos’ forces and with any luck weaken them before they had to physically engage him. 

“From what Steve’s said, we’ll be looking at Chitauri, those leviathans, the Space whale things, and some kind of mutant hyena beasts, along with his generals, or “Children” as he likes to call them” 

“Indeed, we will need a great deal of fire power in order to take down such a vast army.” Vision said, “From what my data banks recall, Manhattan was nearly destroyed by just a very small portion of Thanos’ army under the command of Loki.”

“Yeah.” Tony murmured, able to recall each horrifying moment of that battle vividly, “If it hadn’t been for that nuke… but we can’t nuke them, we’d wipe out the planet ourselves if we did that, and we can’t risk such wide spread devastation either. You’re right, Manhattan was nearly wiped out, next time it could be an entire country, or continent, we can’t risk that, a fight with Thanos needs to be contained to a barren area, somewhere that isn’t populated.” 

“That does not provide many areas on earth.” Vision said, “The Arctic perhaps..”

“No, the Penguins and Polar Bears might get hurt!” Tony protested and laughed at the look of genuine confused astonishment that Vision gave him, “Arctic is not a great choice, human beings a freezing conditions don’t go well together, not even super humans.” Vision hummed in agreement at this and frowned, 

“The Compound is several acres of land is it not?” 

“Yeah.”

“It is not close to civilian population either, and it is also a place that could be made strategic.” 

“Yes…YES!” Tony shocked Vision by throwing his arms about him and kissing him on the face, “God I love you, you genius brain child!” 

“I… am fond of you too.” Vision stammered and would have blushed were he able, but Tony was already having Friday bring up the schematics for the compound and having her help brainstorm ideas to turn the entire estate into a battle ground ready for Thanos, 

“Purchase all the land around there.” He instructed, “All the way to within a mile radius of civilians. Then lets look into make it all defensible, shielding in the ground to rise up twenty, no make that thirty feet and lets look into creating some kind of roof. Once we get the fuckers in there lets keep ‘em there. No one in and no one out until Thanos is a rotting corpse on the ground, even if I have to ram a nuke up his ass sideways and use Deadpool’s body as a hammer to beat it in there!” 

“Let us hope it never comes to that Bossman!” Friday drawled, 

“Yeah, Deadpool would probably enjoy it!” Tony said, swiftly losing himself in the science and not surfacing until Steve came to get him for Lily’s bath time and dinner. 

“We’ve got an idea.” Tony told him excitedly, “To defeat the mother fucker and keep the civilian populations out of the line of fire.” 

“All we have to do is get Thanos where we want him.” Vision said, “Which, considering I carry the Mind Stone, should be easy, as he will come to us to claim his prize.”

“And we’ll be waiting for him.” Steve said, “Ready and waiting.”


	16. Chapter 16

Tony had been to many meetings in his life. He’d even stood up in the Senate and mouthed off to a Senator without breaking a sweat. But right now he was sweating. Right now he was terrified. 

“Everything is going to be fine.” Steve said as he bounced a cranky Lily in his arms. She had not enjoyed flying at all, or the time change and disruption to her routine. 

They were in Vienna and were going to address the UN. Or rather Tony was going to make his case to the UN and attempt to get permission to launch laser targeting weapons into space and have them take up synchronous orbit about the globe to be used to deal with Thanos and his forces when he came calling. 

“Everything is not fine.” Tony said and Lily let out a shrill wail, “See! Even she knows it’s not okay!” Steve gave him an eye roll, 

“She’s eight months old Tony, she barely knows her name.” 

“Still.” Tony groaned, throwing himself down on the large and very plush sofa with an exaggerated huff. “This is the UN. The actual UN. The representatives of 193 countries are going to listen to me try and sell my shit. Me. The Merchant of Death.”

“Ex-Merchant of Death, and who better than to make a case for the building of this weapon to protect the world than a man who has devoted his life to trying to maintain peace?” 

Tony shook his head and gave Steve a world weary look. “I don’t know what you’re Tony was like, but I… I wasn’t always a good man. I made weapons of mass destruction, as well as missiles, guns, and hard wear. Those weapons fell into the hands of terrorists because I was too busy being drunk or sky high on friggin’ coke, to notice that Stane was selling under the table. Those weapons have been used to kill millions, I have the blood of millions of my hands, and now I am going to stand before the United Nations and make a case for the creation of the ultimate weapons of mass destruction and for them to trust me as a responsible person.” He let out a scoff, “Its like an alcoholic asking for the keys to a brewery!” 

Steve scowled. He hated it when Tony talked badly about himself. He’d hated it back in his reality and he hated it in this one too. 

“Why are you so hard on yourself?” He asked, sitting down on the edge of the faux glass coffee table, “Why do you think that you have to be some sort of saint instead of just a normal, fallible human like the rest of us?” 

Tony snorted, “You’re not fallible, you’re perfect.”

“No I’m not.” Steve said, “I am far from perfect. Everyone is. Everyone makes mistakes, you, me, everyone. But what matters is that we try to make amends for them, that we try and do better so that we don’t repeat the mistakes we’ve made.” 

Tony rolled his lips, “But how can I ever make up for mine?” He asked in a small and shaky voice and a single tear rolled down his cheek, “After all I have done how can I ever make amends?” Steve softened, he stretched out a hand to Tony, who sat up to take it, 

“You already are.” 

“Aaaahhhh!” Lily declared and reached out grabby hands for Tony, 

“See, even she agrees.” Steve said, handing her over to Tony who glared at him as he took the girl, wincing when her grabby hands latched onto his beard and began tugging, 

“You said she barely knows her name.”

“Clearly I was wrong.” Steve said, shrugging his massive shoulders, “Shall I go run us a bath?” He tickled Lily’s stomach making her squeal and kick her legs, “Do you want a bubble bath madam, with lots of bubbles?” 

“Buh buh, ahhh!” Lily agreed,

“See how smart she is?” Steve asked, ruffling Tony’s hair as he went past him, 

“Asshole!” Tony shot back, 

“Language, we don’t need Lily learning anymore bad words.” 

“Good point.” Tony agreed turning back to Lily who was frowning at her feet and trying to reach for them, “Its all still so simple for you, isn’t it, little miss?” He asked, “The biggest concern you have is learning a new word and being able to grab your feet, isn’t it?” Lily grinned at Tony and let out a giggle, “Yeah, and pretty soon you’ll be learning to crawl and we’ll be running after you, trying to keep you out of trouble, and then you’ll be walking and we’ll be breaking our necks to try and keep you safe, by which time you’ll be talking and saying everything we really don’t want you to say and getting into so much trouble that we’ll be going grey and probably bald from worrying about you so much. Because that is what happens to people with kids you know?” Tony nodded to Lily who giggled at his serious face, “Having kids makes them grey and bald, but you don’t care about that do you? All you care about is having fun,” He lifted her up so she was over his head and made whoosing noises as if she was flying, making Lily squeal in delight. “Which is just how it should be.” 

When he turned he saw Steve standing in the doorway, grinning at him, “What?” He asked, bringing Lily back down to his chest, 

“Nothing.” Steve said, beaming at the pair, “The bath is ready.” 

“Good, time to go and get bathed and covered in bubbles, eh Lily, want to play with bubbles?” 

“Buh buh, buh buh!” 

 

******

 

Winter was worried and Bucky was terrified. 

He’d become so happy in Bucharest, so settled that he’d actually thought he was making himself a home, but now it was all falling apart. He’d been walking home from work when he’d spotted her. 

Natalia. The Black Widow. 

She hadn’t seen him, he’d made damn sure of that, taking to the back alleys and going across the rooftops, using Parkour to escape so she didn’t find him, but the fact she was here in Bucharest was enough to have him throwing his meagre possessions into a bag and running for the hills, or rather, for Vienna. 

Stark was in Vienna. He knew that, it had been all over the news, that Stark was having a meeting with the United Nations in Vienna. 

If anyone could keep The Black Widow and the Mind Raping Witch away from him it was Stark. He knew about the Maximoff creature from the news, knew that the Black Widow was in league with her. After escaping Hydra he was never going back to having his mind taken from him and turned into a puppet for someone’s amusement. 

He bid a silent and sorrowful farewell to the old lady and her pastries as he fled into the night, leaping off a roof and landing on the back of a lorry to get out of the city. By luck the Lorry was making a delivery in Hungry, so Bucky hid himself in the hold, among the canned goods and waited out the long drive out of Romania. 

From Hungary he was on foot. He had a little money on him and was able to purchase some food, which he consumed on the go. He didn’t dare use public transport. It was always too crowded and there was too much surveillance. 

Thankfully the serum and his years of hard missions made him able to handle the long trek from Hungary to Austria, keeping up a jog that would have had a normal person struggling to maintain, especially after hours with no rest and only a little food and drink. 

‘Not as bad as when we trekked all the way from Rio to Mexico City in bare feet’ Winter commented in Bucky’s head, ‘They were sore for days after that’

“I remember.” Bucky murmured, wincing at the memory of his blistered feet. 

‘Will Stark lock us up?’ 

Bucky sighed, “I don’t know. But at least he won’t mind rape us, he’ll keep the Witch away from us.”

‘You should have let me kill the Widow, then we could have found the Witch and killed her’

“Killing is wrong.”

‘You’ve done it. Before me, in the war.’ 

Bucky rolled his eyes, sometimes dealing with Winter was like dealing with a recalcitrant toddler, “Hasn’t there been enough killing?” 

‘Not of Hydra there hasn’t. They all deserve to die’ 

Well, Bucky couldn’t really argue with that.

 

*****

 

Vienna

 

Dressed in a three-piece suit that fitted like a glove, Tony walked into the conference hall of the United Nations and resisted the urge to wet his lips or shudder as he felt every single eye upon himself. All 193 representatives were looking at him as he took the stand. 

Steve wasn’t in the conference hall with him, he was waiting in the gallery with Lily, but Rhodey was with him, was in full uniform and had his back, something Tony was immensely grateful for right now. 

Taking a deep breath he cleared his throat and began. 

“Thank you for agreeing to hear me out, I know that my proposal is extreme and I understand why you would be sceptical of its necessity as well as my being the one to control such a weapon.”

“If we are to agree to such a Weapon, Mr Stark, then you may not be the one to have control of the weapon as you say.” The English Representative said, “It would be far more likely that the codes for such a device would held by the United Nations.”

“Agreed.” Tony said, “And as a further failsafe, I would insist that you only have half of the command codes, and I keep the other half. That way the chances of this weapon ever falling into the wrong hands is reduced.”

“And do you believe your hands to be the right ones to have access to such a weapon?” The French Representative asked, her glasses sliding down her pointed nose as she looked at Tony, who shrugged, 

“I don’t think there are “Right hands” for this, Madame. We are speaking of the most powerful weapon to ever be created. Only a saint could be considered really fit to have full control of such a device. But sadly there are no saints, only us humans, so we’ll have to make do with what we have got.” 

“You say that this weapon will only be used for Extra terrestrial threats. This Thanos and his army,” The German Representative asked, “What about the damage to Civilian property, to people, such a weapon will cause massive destruction, will it not?” 

“Yes.” Tony agreed, “But it will be targeted only enemy ships, hopefully that will never land on earth, but if they do, then… well the best I can offer is to keep the damage to a minimum, to try and draw the ships away from civilian populations before the weapons are fired. But, make no mistake, such an event would mean that we were at war and a sad fact of war is that people die. Civilians as well as soldiers, we can try to keep the deaths to a minimum, but some lives may well be lost.” 

“If we agree,” The Spanish Representative asked, “How soon can these weapons be developed?” 

“A year.” Tony said, “To build them and get them launched in space, I would need a year.” 

“And how many of these weapons would be in orbit?” 

“A dozen.” Tony replied. “So we can cover the globe. They will all be equipped to move position, so that if one is destroyed by enemy fire, we can have others in position to take over.”

 

The conference went on much like that for most of the day before a recess was called and they would pick up the following day. 

Tired, hungry, and in need of snuggles with Lily and a hug from Steve, Tony gratefully exited the UN building, flanked by Rhodey and Steve. 

“Let’s not go out to a restaurant tonight, let’s just order room service and watch some crappy movie on pay per view, okay?” Tony asked as they headed for the car, 

“Sounds good to me.” Rhodey agreed, 

“Stark!” 

All three men turned and gazed in shock as a dishevelled James Buchanan Barnes approached them, he stopped three feet away from them, his shoulders hunched and a frightened look in his eyes as he shifted on his feet. 

“I need your help.”


	17. Chapter 17

For a moment time seemed to freeze as the four men gazed at each other, no one quite sure what to do or wanting to make a move that might spook Bucky. After what seemed like an eternity it was Lily that broke the silence with a demanding cry and kicked her legs in Tony’s arms, 

“Alright honey, we’ll get you back to the hotel in a few minutes, don’t worry.” Tony said bouncing her a little. He looked up at Bucky who was staring at Lily with a bewildered look on his face, “What? You never seen a baby before?” 

Bucky shrugged, “Jus’ been a while.” He said, looking around nervously,

“Bucky, do you know who I am?” Steve asked, his voice lowered into a gentle tone, not unlike the one he used when talking to Lily, obviously not wanting to intimidate the skittish man. Again Bucky nodded jerkily, 

“You’re the other Steve, the big one.” Steve chuckled and nodded, 

“Yeah, I guess that’s true.” Rhodey cleared his throat, 

“I don’t mean to interrupt, but you said something about wanting help?” he asked, Bucky, “Are you in trouble?” Bucky nodded, 

“They’re looking for me, I saw them. I don’t want to go with them, I don’t trust them.” 

“Trust who, Hydra?” Tony asked, and Bucky shook his head, 

“The Widow, The Witch. I saw them. I don’t want them near me, don’t want the Witch in my head, I won’t go back to being like before, Winter don’t wanna neither.” 

“Uh, Winter?” Rhodey asked, confused by the mention of a third party, “Who..” He broke off at the sound of police sirens which suddenly pierced the air. Tony groaned and rolled his eyes while Bucky tensed. 

“Someone must have recognized him.” He sighed, handing Lily to Steve and stepped forward towards Bucky, his hands held palms up to show he wasn’t a threat.   
“Please don’t run,” He said to Bucky who was tense and ready to bolt at the slightest provocation, “Someone dickwad must have alerted the authorities. It’s okay, if you don’t put up a fight or try and run then we can control the situation.” Bucky shuddered and looked about, his fists clenched ready to fight, 

“Don’t wanna go back in chair, or cold box.” He shook his head violently, “Don’t wanna hurt no more.” Tony’s forehead creased in sympathy for him, 

“I won’t let anyone hurt you, I promise.” He swore, “I will help you in any way that I can, I will get you the best legal representation there is and insist that you be granted house arrest until there can be a court date to straighten everything out.”

“House arrest?” Bucky asked, having not heard the term before. 

“Yeah, it’s a form of punishment without a person going to prison. They are electronic tagged and made to remain in their homes between certain times of the day, but they can still move freely otherwise and interact with their families and so on.” Tony swiftly explained. 

“I don’t gotta home.” Bucky whispered hunching his shoulders and ducking his head as the first police cars screeched to a halt, by now a crowd had gathered to watch the interaction, forming a circle about them, blocking off an easy escape route for Bucky which was only serving to make him even more antsy. 

“Wait!” Tony cried, holding a hand up to the cops, “We got this, just… wait.” He looked pleadingly at Bucky, “Please, you came to me for help and I will help you, but you have to trust me now, which I know is asking a lot, but I need you to do as I say and let these guys take you in. I’ll go with you and I will stay with you the whole time, I swear I won’t leave you.” 

“Tones.” Rhodey protested, 

“Maybe it’d be better if I went.” Steve suggested, if Bucky or rather the Winter Soldier kicked off then he would stand a better chance of subduing him than Tony would. 

“I’ll be fine,” Tony said without turning around, held out a hand to Bucky, offering it to him in friendship, “Please?” 

Clearly every instinct that Bucky had was telling him to run while he still had the chance. It was taking everything he had to fight the impulse and force himself not to do so. He looked from Tony to Steve, to the wriggling crying baby, to the unhappy man behind Tony, to the Cops, and then back to Tony who was gazing at him imploring him to do as he asked. His heart was pounding, and his mouth was dry, he wanted to run, to get himself out of there while he had the chance, but he knew intellectually that it would be a mistake, so he slowly but surely reached out and took the offered hand. 

Tony smiled and let out a sigh of relief, “Good job big guy.” He said, squeezing Bucky’s hand a little, “Okay, just keep your other hand where they can see it and don’t struggle.” He advised as the Police came closer. “It’s fine fellers, the Sergeant is cooperating, but he is very nervous and distressed, so please don’t do anything to make this worse.” Tony said to the Police, “I’m going with him to whatever station you decide to take us too and I am calling my lawyers.” 

Bucky tensed when he saw handcuffs being drawn and Tony stepped forward, putting himself between Bucky and the Police which startled to Super Soldier since it was so odd a thing for someone to do, to risk their own lives for him. 

“There are no need for restraints.” Tony said, “Sergeant Barnes is willingly going to the station, he has made no aggressive moves towards anyone, he does not need to be cuffed.” The police weren’t happy about this, but after some more arguing they agreed and Bucky found himself being led to a car and shown into the back seat with Tony climbing in besides him. 

“I’ll call Matt and get him to fly out.” Rhodey yelled to Tony, 

“Great, thanks Honeybear,” Tony called back, 

“I’ll meet you at the station.” Steve said, “I just need to get Lily fed and changed,”

“No, she’s been disrupted enough for today, stay with her at the hotel and I’ll call you.” Tony called back to Steve ignoring the impatient huffing from the Cop as his conversations held them up, 

“Are you sure?” 

“Yeah baby. Tell Rhodey to tell Sam to fly Matt out on a Quin jet, they’ll get here faster than a conventional plane.”

“I will.” Tony waved to Steve and finally let the cop shut the car door. He settled back into his seat and gave Bucky a reassuring smile. 

“It’ll be alright, trust me.”

 

****** 

 

Six hours were what it took for Tony to get Bucky released into his and Steve’s custody. Matt had been on the phone with the authorities while flying over with Sam and Vision, and made the case for Bucky to be extradited to America as soon as Tony’s business with the UN was complete. After a lot of legal debating and persuading he managed to get Bucky freed from the Police cell, and into the Avengers Custody by midnight, with all of them standing responsible should Bucky attempt to flee. 

As it was Bucky went with them to the hotel without complaint, sticking to Tony’s side like glue. 

‘He protected us, Got between cops and us.’ Winter said in Bucky’s head, ‘He is good for us.’

“You maybe right.” Bucky whispered back,

‘I like him.’ Winter said with his usual decisive attitude of black and white. Bucky didn’t argue the point, he just wasn’t going to make a snap judgement. 

 

Steve greeted them when they got back to the hotel room. Lily was apparently asleep, and the large super soldiers looked tired and stressed and he took Tony into his arms and kissed him, 

“Is everything okay?” He asked, while Vision and Sam filed in with Matt. 

“It’s fine, all sorted.” Tony said, “Bucky will have to go to court in America and Matt will make a case for him to be found not guilty on the grounds of diminished responsibility. A which point he’ll be free to do as he pleases but until then he’ll be in our custody.” 

Steve nodded and looked to Bucky with a welcoming smile, holding out his hand for Bucky to shake, “I know I’m not the Steve Rogers you grew up with, but I did know your counter-part very well and I am pleased to meet you, Sergeant Barnes.” 

Bucky frowned at Steve, looked at his hand and then back again, slowly and awkwardly shaking his hand, “Bucky’s fine.” He murmured, “I…” He broke off as his stomach rumbled loudly making Tony grin, 

“Room service time.” He said, “What do you fancy?” Bucky shrugged, 

“I like plums.” He said, “And Winter likes sweet things.”

“Him and me both.” Tony replied, grabbing the menu to look at the desserts on it, “Fuck it, I’m gonna order all the desserts they have, we can share them and get diabetes and tooth cavities together!” He all but bounced the phone and picked it up, “Everyone else choose what you want and I’ll order it up.” 

Tiredly, Rhodey, Matt, and Sam all made selections off the menu, while Vision floated around the room, finally asking for a soda water when pressed by Tony, as he liked the way the bubbles fizzed in his mouth. Steve had already eaten and was content to share in the absurd amount of sweets Tony ordered up to the room, and set about trying to make Bucky feel as comfortable as possible. Getting him to take a seat before the TV which Sam and Matt were fighting for control over while Rhodey tried to ignore them and Tony egged them on, urging them to get “Butt naked and start wrestling on the carpet!” 

“In your perverted dreams, Stark.” Sam groused, “Door Matt here ain’t my type!”

“Thank God for small mercies, because you sure as hell ain’t mine!” Matt shot back at him, “And don’t call me Door Matt.” 

“Yeah, Sam, don’t call him that.” Tony said, leaning over the back of the sofa, “He’s more a Yoga Matt!” he yelped as Matt’s hand came up the back of his head with an impressive slap that had Rhodey laughed while Tony made a show of being wounded until the room service arrived, then he was all smiles and like a kid in a sweet shop waiting to get his hands on the goodies. 

Somehow Bucky found himself slowly relaxing into the warm and friendly atmosphere in the hotel room, a movie was put on the TV, an animated cartoon, Disney’s Aristocats, which had cute singing cats that made the others laugh and try to sing along with the songs with varying degrees of success as they ate their meals. 

Everyone took a dessert each, while he and Tony had several. The best being the Plum tartine which Tony handed to Bucky with a grin knowing he’d love it, which he did, savouring each mouthful. He felt himself smile and Winter chuckle a little in his mind as Tony and Rhodey had a spoon fight over the profiter rolls which the both of them lost when Matt grabbed them for himself and ate them with a smug expression on his face. 

After the Aristocats another Disney movie got put on, Basil of Baker Street, and Bucky found himself feeling content enough to become drowsy, and somewhere along the way as Basil was hunting down Rattigan’s secret lair he fell asleep among tired billionaires, super soldiers, and super heroes, leaving an Android to watch over them all as they slept.


	18. Chapter 18

Bucky was the first to awake the following morning. He felt warm and content, a feeling that he had not experienced in far too long. The soreness in his muscles and feet were gone, the serum having healed him over night. Yawning, he stretched and blinked open his eyes expecting to see his dingy apartment in Bucharest, only to find himself in Stark’s Luxurious hotel room, curled up in an arm chair, with Stark asleep on the sofa over a giant version of his one time friend, and a couple of other men asleep on the sofa around him. 

Recollection of the night before came to him and he almost blushed at the thought of spending a night eating desserts and watching cartoons with grown men. Even if said grown men had engaged in a spoon fight over profiter rolls. 

He wasn’t sure what he should do. He was technically their prisoner, though he wasn’t exactly feeling like one. He knew prisons, he’d been in them, that place where Skull had experimented on him, then the various Hydra bases through out the years. They were prisons. This was a paradise filled with soft seats, strange but friendly people, and nice things to eat. 

“I want more Plum Tartine.” Winter piped up, making Bucky roll his eyes, of course, plum tartine was the priority. As he sat there Bucky became increasingly aware of his need to piss. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d been to the bathroom though it was definitely a while ago with how much his bladder was aching. 

Since the serum he didn’t need to relieve himself as much as he had before. His body was better at using all he consumed for energy so very little waste was produced, however some was, and his body really wanted to be rid of it. 

The natural thing to do would be to get up and go to the bathroom, but Bucky didn’t feel right about doing that, he was scared that if he moved then he would wake the others and… well he wasn’t sure he knew what would happen or even why he was scared, he just knew that he was, so he stayed in the chair, ignoring his bladder and bouncing his knees as he counted the seconds that slowly passed into minutes, watching the sleeping faces of the men before him, maybe he could sneak to the bathroom without them knowing? 

Deciding to try Bucky moved, slowly rising from the chair, which was of course when Lily decided to announce that she was awake and hungry to the whole world. 

Jumping, Bucky did the only thing he could think of, which was bolt into the bathroom, slamming and locking the door, leaning against the wood he breathed heavily, his eyes searching out for possible weapons. A straight razor lay on a shelf above the sink, that would do. He made two large strides across the room to grab it only for the door to knocked on, 

“Hey Bucky, you in there?” Stark called, “I don’t want to hurry you if you’re taking a bath or whatever, but… well I really need to pee and Lily really needs a nappy change, so… yeah,” 

Bucky frowned, Stark didn’t sound angry, in fact he sounded barely awake. 

“Bucky, are you okay?” Now he sounded worried, “Steve, I think something might have happened…” 

“What?” 

“I don’t know, the doors locked and he’s not answering,” The door rattled and was knocked on again, “Bucky are you alright?” Stark sounded really worried now and the giant Steve was probably about to start kicking down the door. Swallowing hard Bucky forced himself to speak, 

“I’m okay, be out in a minute.” The rattling on the door stopped and Bucky let out a sigh of relief, quickly he relieved himself and washed his hands, forcing himself not to take the razor even though his hands itched to do so.

When he opened the door he found Stark, Giant Steve, and the baby waiting outside, “Thought you’d fallen in for a minute!” Tony joked, as Steve headed into the bathroom to change the baby, when Bucky didn’t reply he continued, “So, we’re gonna order breakfast and then I need to get to the UN. You can stay here with Matt and Sam if you want, or you can with me, Steve, and Rhodey. I warn you though, if you come to the UN it could be hours of boredom.” 

Not entirely used to making choices like that Bucky shrugged, “Well think about it over breakfast.” Tony said, “And order anything you want, hell order the entire menu if you want!” 

Nodding his head, Bucky quietly made his way to the living area and sat back down in the same chair, picking up the menu and scouring the breakfast choices. The full English was something he recognized. Eggs, Bacon, Sausage, tomatoes, baked beans, and fried bread. The Cereal choices were new to him beyond the corn flakes. The waffles sounded good, as did the pancakes, the croissants he wasn’t sure about, and he didn’t think he’d get much energy from the fruit salad. The smoked salmon dish made him feel a little queasy, fish wasn’t a breakfast dish as far as he was concerned. 

Then a stray memory came to him, of a blonde woman with finger curled hair, dimples in her cheeks, and a warm smile on her face, serving up kedgeree for breakfast. The memory was gone in an instant and Bucky frowned. That had been his Mother hadn’t it? She’d died in 38. Nearly a hundred years ago now. 

I should be dead. Bucky thought to himself. I should have died a long time ago. He remembered the fall, the certainty that he would die then, had braced himself for the pain of the impact which had been brief as unconsciousness had taken him, and then… then there was cold, more pain, confusion, cold and dark, pain, always pain, not knowing who he was or what he was, having to rely on what the handler was saying and believe it was Gods own truth. Pain if he didn’t comply, death when he did. So much death, so many killed, why not me? 

“We lived so we could punish them.” Winter grunted, “We lived to make them pay, the ones who hurt us, and made us hurt others.”

Will that ever be enough though? Bucky quietly thought. 

 

*****

 

“You’re worried.” Steve said quietly to Tony, as they shared the bathroom, getting themselves washed and ready for the day along with Lily. 

“Of course I’m worried.” Tony said, “I’ve to face the UN again, if we don’t get their agreement then… well we’re fucked because our best defence against Thanos won’t happen,”

“I meant about Bucky.” Steve said and Tony looked up to meet Steve’s knowing eyes, “It wasn’t easy in the beginning for me my Bucky, getting him back was hard work.”

“But you did, get him back I mean?” A troubled expression passed over Steve’s face, 

“It was complicated,” He said, “Yes Bucky remembered himself, remembered me, but he wasn’t the man I knew either. That man died in nineteen forty two. The Bucky that came back had those memories, but he had been changed by the experiences he’d been through since then, all the trauma, all horror, it left its mark. He was in part still Bucky, but he wasn’t the care free, cock sure little shit I’d grown up with” Tony snorted a little at the description and Steve grinned, “He was matured, beyond his years. Hardened and far more cynical, but he was still Bucky, still loyal to a fault and ready to step up if we ever needed him. So, yes, we did get him back, he was just different to the kid I knew.”

Tony sighed and leaned back against the sink. “We don’t know this Bucky, none of us. The only one that did know him is AWOL and wanted for criminal offences. Plus, I don’t think he’d be much of a help for Bucky, he would insist on finding a way to make Bucky “How is was” rather than accepting him as he is and just helping him find peace within himself and a place to call home.”

“We can do that.” Steve said, making Tony’s eyebrows arch, “You’ve already done it for me and Lily. We can do it for Bucky.” 

“Buh buh,” Lily agreed, blowing a raspberry, 

“See, even she agrees.” Tony rolled his eyes at Steve’s statement, 

“I’m not getting into that argument again.” He paused and considered things, “Maybe you should stay here with Bucky instead of coming to the UN with me and Rhodey.” Steve looked up from Lily with surprise, 

“Why?”

“Well, you are probably the person he can most relate to.” Tony said with a shrug, “You are an alternate version of his best friend. It might make him feel more secure, having you here.”

“Maybe.” Steve considered, and rolled his eyes as Sam called out that he was starving to death from the living area, 

“Let’s go and get breakfast then decide what we’ll do.” Tony said, taking Lily from Steve’s arms, “Do you want banana for breakfast Lily-bee? Can you say Banana?” 

“Bah bah, nah!” Lily giggled, tugging at Tony’s beard, yeah that still hurt and so did her grabbing his hair and tugging on it.

 

***** 

 

The Winter Soldier’s arrival in Vienna had made the news within hours, as had his release by the authorities in the Avenger’s care, or rather into Tony Stark’s care. 

Rogers glowered at the news report on the screen that showed images of Bucky walking to a limo with Stark leading him. Bucky’s shoulders were hunched, he looked frightened, like a caged animal. Obviously Stark had taken him prisoner and was planning to do God knows what to him, maybe brain wash him to working for him like Hydra had done. 

“We have to Go to Vienna.” He said to Natasha, who rose an eyebrow, “Bucky is there, we have to save him.”

Natasha sighed heavily, “If we go in then we’ll be announcing our presence to the whole world.”

“I don’t care!” Rogers yelled, “Stark has Bucky, we have to save him before Stark can hurt him.”

“He’s right.” Wanda said, before Natasha could protest, “Stark hurts everyone, he’ll do the same to Bucky.” She paused and added, “Maybe even make the Winter Soldier work for him.” 

Natasha didn’t look entirely convinced, but reluctantly she turned to the computer and began to lay in a flight plan. Wanda smiled and lay a hand on Roger’s shoulder, “It’ll be okay.” She said, “We’ll recuse Bucky and take care of Stark once and for all.”


	19. Chapter 19

Bucky chose to stay at the hotel with Vision, Matt, and Sam while Steve, Rhodey, and Tony went to the UN, taking Lily with them. 

Bucky wasn’t particularly chatty and after asking him if he wanted to use the hotel gym or swimming pool, both of which got a head shake, Sam decided to put another movie on. He stuck to Disney since Bucky had seemed to enjoy the simple happy endings to the cartoon adventures and settled in to watch The Little Mermaid while Matt got on with some work via his laptop, (Which Bucky was curious to find had brail keys and a vocal interface designed specifically for those with only partial or no sight) 

While Brail had been avail in printed page during his time, there hadn’t been computers designed for the blind, well, there hadn’t really been computers and Hydra certainly didn’t bother making their tech easy to use for those whose vision might be impaired. 

They had just reached the part where Ariel was about to sell her voice to the sea witch when there came a knocking on the window. 

“Am I hearing things?” Sam asked, looking to Matt who shook his head, 

“Only if I’m hearing them too.” The knocking came again and Vision glided over to the window and drew back the blinds revealing Deadpool plastered against the glass.

“You have got to be shitting me.” Sam groaned just the door was knocked, 

“We can explain everything Mr Stark, I promise!” Came Peter’s voice and Sam resisted the urge to face palm, especially when Deadpool breathed on the glass and began to draw obscene pictures in the condensation. 

“Let the idiot in, I’ll let…. The other idiot in.” Sam said, getting to his feet and going to the door, letting Vision deal with Deadpool, while he let in Peter and surprisingly Clint. 

“What the…”

“That deranged lunatic abducted us and forced us to fly here in a Quinjet!” Clint exclaimed pointing a finger at Deadpool, “He had Spidey at gun point and said he’d shoot him if I didn’t fly us all here!”

“He did!” Peter agreed, “He grabbed me right out of school and had the gun at my head!”

As all eyes turned to Deadpool the deranged lunatic shrugged, “How else was I meant to get here, not all Superheroes and break into the franchise big time. I don’t have the endorsements and merchandizing to buy my own jet, jeez I only have two movies where you guys have two joint movies and several solo works going on!” Deadpool’s white eyes went wide and he suddenly gasped, “The Little Mermaid, I fucking love this movie!” He summersaulted over the sofa and landed besides Bucky, giving him a grin from under the mask, “Doesn’t seeing her seashells make you super horny and consider running into the ocean totally naked and masturbating into a clam shell?” 

Bucky stared at Deadpool with the kind of astonishment one gives to the kind of people who leap off bridges for kicks and happen to survive. Deadpool however, having no self-preservation or a teaspoon of common sense shrieked like a pre-pubescent girl and made grabby hands at Bucky’s arm, “A metal masturbating hand! Oh my God that is so fucking cool, does it have different settings like vibrate and thrust?” 

Bucky snatched his arm back from Deadpool with growl, “Touch it and die!” This did not have the desired effect as Deadpool placed his hands over his heart and fell back against the couch cushions with a dramatic exhale and threw his legs obscenely wide,

“Well giddy up cowboy, I’m fully prepared to have a little death with you!” Deadpool leaned forward and stage whispered, “My pants have Velcro seems for easy access to my ass-ets!”

The others had been watching this interaction with morbid fascination up until this point and since Bucky looked like he was either going to beat Wade to death or have a nervous breakdown, they decided to intervene before things could become anymore inappropriate. 

“Alright Wade, what the hell are you doing here?” Matt demanded, Deadpool shrugged, 

“I knew that Iron Member needed help. My Spidey senses were tingling!” Peter looked affronted at this, 

“You don’t have spidey senses!”

“Well something was tingling, if you know what I mean,” Wade replied, “But then it often does when I think of that Stark ripe piece of ass!” 

“Oh, I’m too young to hear this!” Peter moaned, 

“That makes all of us.” Clint muttered, he looked around, “So where is T-Bone anyway?” 

“The UN.” Vision replied, “He left about an hour ago with Captain Rogers and Baby Lily.” 

“Excellent!” Deadpool exclaimed, jumping to his feet, “Then to the UN we shall…”

“Not go.” Sam said, “Hell no, absolutely not.” Deadpool pouted, 

“Why?” 

“Dude, if you go there you’re gonna cause WWIII in like ten seconds flat.” Peter snorted, he sat down on the sofa, “Do you think Mr Stark would mind if we ordered snacks, I’m really hungry, like starving hungry. Like I might faint if I don’t eat soon hungry.” 

Sighing, Matt tossed the menu at Peter, “Knock yourself out.” 

“Thank you Mr Murdoch, Sir.” 

“Ah, just call him Daredevil, or the big double D-cup like I do!” Deadpool said, trying to get into Bucky’s lap only to be shoved unceremoniously to the floor, where he actually dared to wrap himself about Bucky’s legs and hump them like a dog, 

“Do you think Stark would mind if I killed this clown?” Bucky asked, glaring at Deadpool, 

“I’ll help!” Matt grunted wondering how the hell Deadpool knew who he was and really wished that the lunatic’s enhancements had cost him his tongue! 

Sam decided to try and play peace-maker before things got anymore inappropriate, “Wade, sit down… on the floor or the sofa, not on Barnes. Bucky there will be no killing of anyone, Peter you are underage you are not ordering beer, don’t think I don’t know what you are doing, Clint, stop encouraging him, Matt, go back to whatever you were doing, Viz… just do what you do, and everybody, shut the hell up!” 

For a few seconds there was silence, then Deadpool held up a hand, “Is it your time of the month?” 

 

*****

 

UN

 

The committee ordered a recess for lunch having spent the morning going over everything with Tony a second time and clarifying further points with him, leaving the Billionaire feeling exhausted as he stepped outside with Rhodey, to meet Steve and Lily. 

“..Ad!” Lily greeted making grabby hands for Tony, “..Ad, Ad,” Tony froze, his brown eyes going wide in shock as he realized what she was trying to say was Dad. He looked up from the baby to Steve who’s face mirrored his own expression. Not understanding why the grown-ups weren’t doing what she wanted, Lily whined and squirmed in Steve’s hold, reaching out again for Tony. 

Breaking out of the momentary trance, Tony took Lily from Steve, letting her wrap her arms about his neck and nuzzle into him with a contented chirrup. 

“I had no idea she’d do that.” Tony said to Steve. “I mean it’s not like I really am her Father, but I guess I look similar enough for her to think I am.” Steve nodded, blinking back a suspicious shimmer in his eyes, 

“You do, and you have been acting as her Father for these past few months, so its only natural that she would call you that.” 

“Yeah, I guess.” Tony murmured, “But you’re her Father, she should be calling you dad, not me.” Steve gave him a crooked smile, 

“I was going to be Papa.” 

“Hmm, Papa Steve, I think that suits you.” Tony mused, shifting Lily’s weight a little, “So, we’ve only got any hour, where do you fancy going for lunch?” 

“How about that place we went to yesterday?” Steve suggested, “The soup there was excellent.” Tony rolled his eyes, 

“Like you don’t want to go back because that twenty-something waiter was making eyes at you?” Steve placed a hand over his heart, 

“Would I be so shallow?” Tony pursed his lips and shrugged, 

“I don’t care, so long as all he’s doing is looking,” He lowered his voice, “But I’m the only one whose going to be doing the touching.” The low timber of his voice and the sultry lowering of his dark lashes had the unfortunate effect of going straight to Steve’s groin, which in a pair of tight cut suit pants was not very comfortable. 

“I swear you do this on purpose!” He growled, taking off his jacket and folding it over his arm so it would drape over his erection that was trying to rip its way out of his pants, grinning unrepentantly Tony leaned forward to whisper into Steve’s ear, 

“Don’t worry baby, I’ll make it up to you tonight.” Steve groaned and tried to focus on walking without a limp. 

 

Rhodey was waiting for them outside and was just finishing a call on his phone, “You’re not gonna believe this.” He said, 

“Probably not so do fascinate us please.” Tony deadpanned, shifting Lily who grabbed onto his beard, “Oww, sweetie please, we’ve talked about this.” He took her hand from his face and Lily giggled, blowing a raspberry at him. 

Rhodey grinned at the interaction, it was always heart warming to see Tony interacting with Lily so easily and the baby adored him as much as she did Steve. Not that she wasn’t friendly with everyone, being the sort of baby who enjoyed cuddles and interacting with grown-ups. Which was all the interaction she had at the moment, which did make Rhodey wonder if maybe Tony and Steve would give her a sibling, if they’d ask Pepper to surrogate like had been done in Steve’s reality. 

“What’s happened?” Steve asked, pulling Rhodey out of his thoughts, 

“Clint, Peter, and Wade have turned up.” 

“What?” Tony cried, “How, why?” Rhodey sighed, 

“Deadpool saw you and Barnes on the news and decided that you needed help, and so he took Peter hostage at gun point and forced Clint to fly them all here.” 

“Of course he did.” Tony sighed, “I swear to God, I will chop that pain in the arse into tiny little pieces and throw them all into separate active volcanos!” Rhodey nodded not looking like he disagreed with the suggestion, 

“Well, so far he’s behaving himself, or as much as Deadpool ever behaves. He’s only had Barnes threaten to kill him twice so far, and if Bucky does actually follow through on the threat then Matt will happily defend him pro-bono.”

Tony glowered, “Do you think Matt would defend me for the same crime?” 

“I can’t imagine anyone defending you, Stark.” 

The three men turned and saw Wanda Maximoff standing at the bottom of the steps, flanked by Rogers and Natasha, all of them in uniform and armed. Rogers stepped forward and roared at Tony, 

“Where is Bucky?”


	20. Chapter 20

For a moment the two teams froze, neither side giving or taking ground as they stood off against one another. Tony swallowed hard and turned to Rhodey, pushing Lily into his arms,   
“Take her and get out of here.”  
“Tony…” Rhodey hissed, his eyes fixed on Rogers and his pair of psycho back-ups,

“She can’t be caught in this, get her to safety now.” Tony ordered, 

“I’m not leaving you…”

“Go.” Steve ordered, as Lily gave a cry of distress obviously sensing the tension in the air and expressing her upset the only way that she could. 

Rhodey sighed, pulling Lily closer to his chest and trying to comfort her, “I’ll call in back up.” He said to Tony as he backed away, “Don’t do anything stupid.”  
“Hey, I’m a genius, nothing I do is stupid!” Tony protested, making Rhodey scoff and roll his eyes as he began to put distance between himself and the others, something that Wanda immediately noticed. 

“Don’t you even think about running off!” She snarled, summoning her power and taking a shot at Rhodey regardless of the baby in his arms. 

Years of military experience had Rhodey ducking and dodging out of the way, taking refuge behind a parked car. He silently cursed as his trousers tore at the knees and the gravel ripped into his flesh as they took the brunt of the fall as he was not able to use his hands which were keeping Lily pressed against his chest. 

The fall and the shouting had Lily screaming now in obvious fright, a horrible sound to hear. No infant should be crying like that, should know what fright was, but she did and it broke Rhodey’s heart to see her big eyes wide with fear, her cheeks red as tears spilled down them, and to feel the tremors running through her tiny body as she shook. 

“It’s alright munchkin.” He tried to reassure her, bouncing her as he’d seen Tony and Steve do, “Nothing’s going to happen to you, I promise.” Supporting her with one arm he reached inside his jacket and pulled out his phone, swiftly dialling Sam’s number. 

“Yeah, Sam, we’ve got a situation here. Rogers and his merry band of fuckwits have shown up…”

 

***

 

Neither Tony or Steve were armed. They could be, having been in the UN building, but both took up fighting stances when Wanda aimed a shot at Rhodey. 

“You’re threatening babies now?” Tony sneered in disgust, “Can you possibly sink any lower?” 

Wanda bared her teeth, “You’re one to talk Stark, your weapons have killed millions of babies.”

“And how many have you killed?” Tony shot back at her, he turned his gave to Romanoff, “Or you?” 

Natasha opened her mouth to reply to that, but Roger’s cut her off, “We’re not here for that. We’re here for Bucky.” 

“Not happening.” Steve growled and Roger’s stood up straighter, trying to look frightening, 

“This is not your business. Why don’t you go back to your world, huh?” A twisted sort of humour stretched over Roger’s face, “You say that your world was destroyed, well how do we know that is the truth? We only have your word for it. Maybe you’re on the run, maybe you kidnapped that baby from her real parents and sang your sob story at Stark to get his sympathy, or, maybe he’s in on it” Roger’s looked to Tony, sneering at him, “What’s in it for you Stark? Was the fact I saw through you bullshit too much take so you had to go and find yourself a lesser version of me to make your boy toy?” 

“The only one that’s less is you Rogers.” Tony snarled back at him, “Steve is ten times the man you could ever hope to be,” He looked Rogers up and down, his eyes lingering over Roger’s crotch, “And as for fancying you, get fucking real. I wouldn’t touch you with a nine foot pole. You’re too small for my tastes!” 

That was the red rag to the bull, Rogers leaped forward, throwing his shield at Tony, who was unceremoniously shoved out of the way by Steve, who the shield in one hand and brought it back around in time to smash across Roger’s face, knocking the smaller version to the ground. 

Tony cursed at being treated like a damsel but didn’t have time to focus on that as Wanda seized her chance and lashed out at him with her magic. Tony dodged as best he could, running for the far wall to take shelter. He jumped up and gripped the wall with his fingers, silently swearing about not being taller as he scrambled to get up only for Maximoff’s magic to wrap around his waist and bring him flying back onto the ground. 

The air was knocked out of Tony’s lungs and he groaned in pain, rolling onto his side as he wheezed and tried to get back onto his feet, but Wanda’s magic wrapped about him like red vipers, yanking his arms up over his head and locking them in place. It clamped onto his knees, keeping them on the ground, immobilizing him and leaving him at her mercy. 

Giggling maniacally, Wanda approached Tony, taking sadistic pleasure in the fear she saw in his dark eyes, “Now,” She purred, as she reached him, “Why don’t we take a little look inside your mind?”   
Tony flinched back as Wanda’s hand brushed against his cheek, her fingers pressing on his temples, he wanted to scream, he wanted to beg her to stop, but he couldn’t do anything as she violated his mind, filling it with every fear he had lurking in his subconscious, making him see, hear, and feel every nightmare that plagued him as if he were actually living it out. 

“Leave him alone you bitch!” Steve bellowed as wrestled with Roger’s, despite their difference in build they were fairly well matched in strength and Roger’s was ten years younger than Steve which did give him an edge that he was taking advantage of. 

“Tell me where Bucky is?” Rogers roared at him, punctuating each word with a punch to Steve’s face. Steve spat blood from his split lips at the other super soldier, 

“I’ll die first.” He rammed his forehead against Rogers, making the smaller man stagger as dizziness assailed him.   
With his own head pounding Steve brought his knee up and sunk it into Rogers stomach making him double over, he brought his elbow across the man’s back taking him to his knees, he gripped the back of Rogers uniform, preparing to knock him out only to be struck by Natasha’s widow bites which sent sprawling to the ground as electricity shocked him. 

Shaking his head to clear it, Rogers rose to his feet and advanced on Steve, kicking him in the shins, the thighs, and the stomach. 

“You have no right to be here.” He spat at Steve, “You don’t belong here. If you are as much as soldier as you claim then you should have stayed in your world and fought on like a man, not run like a coward. You say it’s to protect that kid, Lola or whatever her name is, but she’s not even yours. She’d be better off without you, we all would.” He kicked Steve in the face, momentarily stunning the prone man, giving Rogers the chance to go for his shield, but turning his back was mistake, as Steve freed himself from the widow bite and leaped onto Rogers back, forcing him to his knees as he delivered punches to his kidneys. 

“You don’t know shit about by world, or about what I have lost.” Steve roared, “I was prepared to die there, but then Lily would have died too. The daughter that Tony loved above anything, whom he would have wanted to live. So I left to ensure that she would live.” 

“So you would, you fucking coward.” Rogers jeered, wrapping his arms about Steve’s legs and pulling them out from under him so he ended up on his back with Roger’s straddling him and punching at his face as Steve struggled beneath him, deflecting and taking blows, he wrapped one hand about Rogers throat and squeezed, cutting off Rogers air and making his face redden as he struggled to break free of the hold while trying to keep Steve pinned down. 

“Well fuck me and leave me fifty on the dresser, if I’d have known I’d be seeing two Captain Amazing Assess wrestling, I’d have got dressed up!”

Steve closed his eyes, partly in relief and partly in resignation to Deadpool’s trade mark inappropriate entrance. 

The Merc with a mouth studied him and Steve with his head tilted to one side, “God, I so need a camera to capture this moment. I wanna take a picture and put it on my bedroom ceiling so I’ve got inspiration for my morning wood!” 

 

***

 

As soon as Rhodey’s call came through the team sprang into action, which for Deadpool was literal as he leaped onto Vision’s back as the Android was taking flight and made a cowboy cry as if Vision was a horse! 

“If he did that to me I’d have dumped his crazy ass on the ground!” Sam groused as Vision bore Deadpool clinging to his back and carried him to the UN. 

The others took a little longer, having to suit up and take a car as they had landed the jet at the airport away from the hotel. Peter begged to drive but was stuffed in the back while Clint took the wheel and put his foot down, ignoring red lights and swerving in and out of traffic to get to the UN. 

 

Vision and Deadpool arrived on the scene first. Deadpool leaped from Vision’s back and announced himself with sexual inuendo while Vision went to take care of Wanda. He was the only one who could after all. 

He struck her with the power of the mind stone, knocking her away from Tony and freeing him from her hold. 

“Get away from me Vision!” She screamed at him, 

“I can’t do that Wanda, you know I can’t do that.” He said, looking at her sadly, 

“Stark is evil!” Wanda raged, “He deserves to die!” 

“No, Wanda, he doesn’t.” Wanda screeched and launched herself at Vision, lashing out with her magic, which passed through him ineffectually as he fazed, moving closer to her until he was right over her, at which point he became solid again and pressed the mind stone against her head draining the magic out of her. 

Wanda screamed and flailed, she batted at Vision, trying to break free, but couldn’t escape his hold as her power was taken from her. As the Mind Stone reclaimed the magic Wanda fell to the ground in a boneless heap, her eyes glazed and expression blank, not only had the magic been taken from her, but her mind had gone with it leaving her as little more than a vegetable. 

 

Deadpool was positively gleeful about getting to fight Rogers, he leaped at him, his katana blades drawn and Rogers barely managed to get out of the way before getting his arms sliced off by the deranged mercenary. 

“You know, I’ve just gotta ask, if you are so much smaller in body than Supersized America over there, does that mean you’re you know,” He lowered his voice to stage whisper, “Smaller down there too?” 

“Shut up!” Roger’s bellowed, using his super strength he managed to wrench Deadpool’s katanas from him and delivered several bone crushing punches to the Merc’s face which only had Wade prat falling backward and pulling Rogers down with him, at which point he wrapped his legs about Rogers waist and flipped them over to straddle him, actually gyrating his hips as he did so, 

“Yep, nothin’ special here, just bog standard cock and balls, ohh and speaking of balls, your buddy with the metal masturbating hand has a huge fucking pair. I swear I would love to suck on those sugar plums!” 

“That ain’t never happenin’” came a drawl from the side. Both mean turned to look and Wade shrieked, 

“Bucks ‘n’ grind, have you came to save lil’ ole Deadpool?” 

“If you mean resisting the urge to kill you, then yes.” Bucky replied, 

Deadpool clasped both hands over his cheeks, “Well your denial of our searing hot romance is killing me!” 

As messed up as he was, Bucky couldn’t help but to snort at Deadpool’s theatrics, that amusement however was short lived as Rogers freed himself and kicked Deadpool off him, sending the lunatic into sprawling heap of limbs and curses. 

“Bucky!” Rogers cried, getting to his feet and running towards him, “I’ve missed you so…” That was as far as he got before Bucky’s metal fist was meeting his face. 

“You stupid, arrogant, bull-headed, imbecile!” Bucky roared punching Rogers until he was on the ground, “You think I wanted this, you think I wanted you attacking innocent people, you think I wants a black widow or Hydra’s Witch invading my privacy?” 

“Bucky, stop,” Rogers garbled, wavering on his knees, “I’m your friend!”

“Friend?” Bucky half laughed half cried, “The man you were friends with died seventy years ago. I might have some of his memories but I am not that man. Not after all I’ve seen and done and survived. All I wanted was to be left alone, Rogers, and if you really were my friend you’d have granted me that.” 

Rogers shook his head, “No Buck, you belong with me, you’re my..”

“I am not your anything.” Bucky snarled, “I was happy in Bucharest, I was building a life there, me and Winter. But and yours destroyed it. I went to Stark because I thought he could keep me safe from the witch, stop her from attacking my mind. But he did more, he offered to help me,” He looked over to where Tony was laying limp in Steve’s arms, the super soldier cradling him as tremors ran through the billionaires body as if he were suffering after effects from ECT. “You let that bitch hurt him.” 

Bucky pulled back his fist ready to strike again, but Sam swiftly intervened, holding back the metal arm, “He ain’t worth it man. Let the law deal with this.” 

Rogers made to get to his feet and launch into another plea for Bucky to listen to him but was smacked around the head by the shield that had been thrown at him. 

“OMG!” Deadpool squealed, “I’ve so gotta tweet this, I’ve played with Cap’s frisby!” 

Bucky looked to Sam, “Why isn’t he in an asylum?” Sam glanced at Deadpool who was actually tweeting, 

“They couldn’t deal with his crazy.”

 

***

 

Natasha had tried to make a run for it, but an arrow struck her in the back of the knee bringing her to the ground, she tried to get to her feet but a blindingly swift attack from an almost blur of limbs knocked her gun from her hand, and disabled her bites. In a few second she was pinned against the wall by her throat and looking into Daredevils face. 

“Don’t move.” Daredevil growled at her. 

Natasha opened her mouth to speak but webbing slapped over her lips silencing her, then more wrapped about her wrists forming cuffs to restrain her. 

“I can cocoon her if you want?” Spiderman said, bouncing around energetically, 

“I think that’s enough, kid.” Clint said, patting his shoulder, he looked sadly at Natasha, “I thought you were better than this.” Natasha met his eyes silently pleading with him to save her, but Clint shook his head, “You made your bed, Nat. It didn’t have to be this way. But you chose to follow Rogers and cover up murder, now you have to pay the price.” 

Daredevil yanked Natasha away from the wall and frog marched her back to the UN, with Clint and Peter following. As the team assembled on the steps, with Wanda limp and unresponsive in Vision’s arms and Roger’s unconscious and restrained, Rhodey came out from where he’d been hiding to protect Lily. 

He swiftly took stock of the rogues and determined they had been neutralized then looked to Steve who was carrying an ashen faced and blood shot eyed Tony in his arms. 

“What did that bitch do to you?” He growled, but Tony shook his head, 

“Its over now.” He said, looking to Lily who’d cried herself into an exhausted sleep, “Let’s get these assholes locked up and head for home.”


	21. Chapter 21

While Rhodey, with the War Machine armour now arrived and at his disposal, and Vision, took charge of escorting Rogers, Natasha, and Wanda to prison and keeping them under guard until an extradition team came to take them back to America, (And brought a power dampening collar for Rogers), the others went back to the hotel.   
Tony was worryingly quiet the whole way, not even complaining about being carried by Steve, just staring with too large eyes that darted around as if he were afraid of unseen, unheard enemies being close by. 

Steve kept tight hold of him, shielding him with his broad chest and muscular arms, while trying not to growl at the fact that Tony was shaking like a leaf against him.

 

“I can’t believe I got to play with Crappy Cap shiny dustbin lid!” Deadpool crowed as he bounced into the hotel room, “I am so jacking off to the memories of that tonight!” he threw himself full length onto the sofa with limbs sprawling every which way and grinning broadly beneath his mask. 

“Thank you for sharing that with us Wade,” Matt sighed, rubbing his forehead where a tension headache was forming, he was pretty sure that the nerves had formed a very familiar shape, the shape of Wade fucking Wilson. 

“Oh baby, double D-cup,” Wade drawled, “You are perfectly welcome to cum and join in.” 

Matt’s smile was acidic, “Delightful offer, but I am afraid I’ll have to decline.” He turned and watched as Steve carried Tony into the bedroom, shutting the door behind him. 

“Will Mr Stark be alright?” Peter asked, looking to Clint who was on Lily-watching duty, the little one was upset, grizzling and refusing to settle. She knew something was wrong and she wasn’t happy about it at all. 

“I hope so spidey.” Clint said, as he expertly handled Lily. After three kids he knew what he was doing, and had dealt with a grumpy baby more times than he cared to remember. 

“But you know, mind fuckery isn’t something you just walk away from, trust me, I know.” 

Matt, Sam, and Peter all gave Clint looks of varying sympathy at this and his own experience with being mind raped. Bucky grunted, looking up from the floor, which he was pacing like a caged tiger.

Deapool as always had an inappropriate comment to make things absolutely no better at all.

“You shouldn’t be able to walk away from any kind of fuckery at all, because if you can then it must have been a big fucking disappointment.”

Sam sighed heavily through his nose and closed his eyes, just giving up on the whole conversation. 

 

*****

 

Steve lay Tony down on the bed and began to take off the Billionaire’s suit so he’d be comfortable, getting the jacket off was fine, Tony didn’t fight him at all, allowing Steve to move him as needed, but when his hands went to Tony’s neck to take off his tie Tony’s hands gripped his wrists and his terrified gaze locked onto Steve. 

“It’s okay.” Steve assured him, “I’m just going to get your tie off.” 

Tony held his gaze for several seconds before slowly releasing his wrists and returning to his limp state, allowing Steve to get his tie off and undo his shirt. He slipped the shift off Tony, swearing when he saw the bruising on the Billionaires wrists and shoulders from Maximoff’s magic. The same could be said for the bruising on his ankles which was revealed when he tugged Tony’s trousers off. 

“I’ll get some ice to take down the swelling.” He said to Tony, getting up from the bed, but his hand was seized in a tight, almost painful grip, “Baby?” he asked in a gentle tone so as not to spook Tony. 

“Don’t go!” Tony’s voice came out as a frightened and hurried whisper, “You can’t… you’ll… they’ll get you if you go.” 

Tony wasn’t making sense, he sounded paranoid, bordering on hysterical. Steve could guess it was from Wanda’s mind raping, but that didn’t make it any more easy to handle right now, as Tony was like a spooked horse, one wrong move and he’d bolt. 

Steve had to proceed with caution and try to keep Tony calm. “No one is going to get me, honey.” He said, giving Tony a reassuring smile, “I’m only going next door to get you some ice, I’ll only be a second or two.” 

Tony shook his head, he wasn’t having it, “Nnnooo,” He stammered, his wild eyes searching the room, “They come out of nowhere. Just appear and then there’s nothing. Just ashes, ashes everywhere, so much ash, I can’t breathe!” He began to paw and claw at his chest and throat, his nails digging into his skin as he hyperventilated, “Can’t breathe, can’t breathe!” he panted, launching himself off the bed and collapsing on the floor. 

“Tony!” Steve went after him and wrapped himself around Tony, taking his hands to stop him from hurting himself,

“No!” Tony panted, sucking in loud labouring breaths, he struggled against Steve, tears running down his red cheeks and sobbing as Steve held him tight, turning him so his face was pressed against his broad chest. 

“Easy now baby, just breathe with me, slowly now, in and out, in and out,” He soothed Tony, “Take a deep breath in through your nose, hold it and then slowly release it counting back from ten. We’ll do it together okay? Ready now, deep breath in,” He sucked in a deep breath and held it for a second and then began to exhale, counting as he did. 

He repeated his exercise until Tony was breathing normally again. “Alright now baby?” He asked, moving Tony to sit on his lap and cradled him to his chest, rocking him gently back and forth. 

“Sorry.” Tony whispered, gripping Steve’s shirt tightly, he felt so childish doing this, but he couldn’t help it, he needed Steve to hold him, needed him like he needed air, 

“You have nothing to be sorry for sweetheart.” Steve said, kissing his hair, “We take care of each other right?” 

Tony nodded his head sniffing, “I saw it Steve, she made me see it.” 

“She made you see what honey?” Steve asked, resting his chin over Tony’s head, 

“Thanos. What he’ll do, what will happen if we fail.” Tony looked up at Steve, his eyes shining with unshed tears. “We can’t fail Steve, we just can’t.” 

Steve felt a lump form in his throat which he had to swallow past as he nodded his head, “I know,” He whispered, “And we won’t fail. Not this time.” 

They remained on the floor in each others arms until the door was knocked, “Uh guys, I hate to disturb the… whatever is going on in there….” 

“They’re fucking!” Wade yelled, his voice cutting Clint off, “Its celebration sex mixed with rescue sex, hell it’s like celebration sex and rescue sex had sex together, it is all the sexes at once!”

“Dude, I’m not eighteen yet.” Peter cried plaintively, 

“Well as soon as you are I’ll be more than happy to tap your fine webbed ass.” 

This was enough to have Tony launching himself off Steve’s lap and storming through to the other room, where he seized Deadpool by the neck and body slammed him into the wall. 

“If you ever even contemplate touching Peter at any age, even if he is 103, then I swear I was hack all your limbs off, rip out all your intestines, boil your carcass in oil, and toss whatever is left into an active volcano!” 

For a moment every one was speechless, partly because Tony was in a pair of black silk briefs that concealed exceptionally little and partly because he was showing such a protective streak towards Peter. 

Deadpool nodded, “Sure thing Iron Momma-bear, I won’t touch your webblicious cub, I’ll save all my touching for you.” 

Tony leaped away from Wade as if he’d been stung, and glared at the Merc. Crossing his arms over his chest in an effort to retain some modesty, poor Peter was looking everywhere but at him, his cheeks flushed and teenage embarrassment obviously making the situation uncomfortable for him. 

The tense silence was broken by a demanding cry from Lily, whom Clint happily handed to Steve, “I’ve changed her, and fed her, but I think she needs you and Tones before she’ll settle.”

Tony immediately held out his hands for Lily making a soppy expression, “Aww baby, what’s the matter eh? What’s wrong, did the stupid canary bird not make you smile?” 

“Bite me Tin Can.” Clint shot back flipping Tony the bird, as he bounced Lily, and blew raspberries at her. 

“Oh its so sweet!” Wade cooed, he looked from Steve to Tony and back and again, “The two of you have got to do the super-cock, male pregnancy thing and make a baby together, just imagine it, Cap’s boyish, all American masturbation fantasy looks, and Stark’s super brains, he’ll be the super sexiest, super smartest, mother-fucking, motherless superhero ever!” 

Bucky stared at Wade, “What is wrong with you?” 

“I was dropped on the head repeatedly since childhood.” Wade replied, “Mostly during very adventurous sexual positions. It brings a new meaning to the words having your brain fucked out!”

“Please stop encouraging his mouth.” Tony pleaded, he swiftly held a hand up to Wade, “Not one word about mouth sex.” 

Wade mimed zipping his lips and then made a wanking gesture on the left side of his mouth while shoving his tongue into the right cheek. 

Steve cleared his throat, “Has there been any news from Rhodey and Vision yet?” 

“No, they’re still at the detention centre.” Matt said, “It’ll take a while for the team to get here, it’ll be a full military escort as they are considered highly dangerous.” 

“Just as long as they never come anywhere near my family again, I don’t care what happens to them.” Tony said, rocking Lily back and forth, he was so taken up with the baby he didn’t notice the hush that had fallen over the room right away and when he did he looked up with a frown, “What?” 

“You said the F word.” Wade said, sounding serious for once, 

“he means family.” Matt put in, 

Tony flushed and looked down at Lily trying to hide his embarrassment, “Well I.. guess that’s what we are, isn’t it?” 

“Mr Stark, that’s so…. Wow, I don’t know what to say, I’m like honoured and I totally think of you as a Father… I mean older brother figure, you’re way to young to be my Father of course, and I’d never think you were old…”

“Breathe Spidey,” Sam said, patting Peter’s shoulder, Tony grinned at Peter, 

“I’m well old enough to be your Father, Peter, and yes I do mean it, and if I wasn’t almost completely naked I’d hug you, but as I am I’ll keep a discreet distance.” 

“Aww we should do a group hug.” Deadpool declared, “Get our fantastic family incest on!” 

“You’re disowned.” Tony said, shouldering his way past Wade to go to the bedroom and put some clothes on, 

“Well that’s good, because if I’m family then I’d have to work out if fucking you would be like fucking my brother or my mother!” 

“I hate you!” 

 

*****

 

At midnight Rogers and Natasha were taken into custody of the special task force sent to extradite them back to America. The power dampening collar was placed on Rogers’ neck robbing him of the serum and reducing him to the skinny asthmatic he had been before. 

Chained and cuffed they were escorted onto a jet with a catatonic Wanda. Doctors had been in to assess her condition and found her to have severe irreversible brain damage. She would not be going to prison, she wouldn’t even have a trial, she would spend the rest of her life in a hospice until her body gave out. 

 

With the rogues off their hands Rhodey and Vision went back to the hotel finding all but Bucky, Deadpool, and Clint asleep. The three of them were playing poker and cheating. 

“Hey, everything taken care of?” Clint asked, keeping his voice low, Sam and Matt were sprawled out on the sofa with Peter snuggled between them in an impossibly small ball, while Tony, Steve, and Lily were in the bedroom. 

“Yeah it’s all sorted.” Rhodey replied, sitting down in one of the arm chairs, “Any word from the UN, all this shit kind of messed up their session.” 

“Uh huh,” Clint said, “Tony got a call, they’re reconvening at ten tomorrow..” he glanced at the clock, “This morning and will have their decision.”

“Good.” Rhodey said tipping his head back and closing his eyes, he could go to his own room to sleep but moving right now seemed like far too much effort, “With any luck we’ll have the answer we want and we can go home.”


	22. Chapter 22

The UN gave a unanimous vote of agreement to Tony building the weapons to guard the planet stipulating that they be given half of the command codes needed to trigger them, and that the remaining codes be held by Tony and Vision. 

With their business complete they headed back to New York to start getting the planet ready for war, begin Bucky’s therapy, and prepare for Rogers and Natasha’s trials.

 

*****

 

Rogers and Natasha’s trials took a year to come to court, they were tried together on charges of theft, terrorism, failure to report a crime, attempting to pervert the course of justice, resisting arrest, assault of Tony Stark, Steve Rogers, Rhodey, and Lily Stark-Rogers, and illegal entry to Austria. 

Tony, Steve, Rhodey, Vision, Sam, and Clint all testified. Matt and Peter both had secret identities to maintain so they could not testify, and no one wanted Deadpool on the stand for obvious reasons. 

Several of the UN security guards offered testimony as did other eye witnesses to what had occurred in Vienna. 

The trial lasted over a week and the verdict was unanimous, sentencing both Steve and Natasha to life sentences with no possibility of parole for at least forty years. 

 

Bucky’s court hearing came six months after he’d come to Tony. He pleaded not guilty to the charges of murder and terrorism on the grounds of diminished responsibility due to the extensive torture and brain washing he’d been subject to thanks to Hydra. 

Multiple Doctors and Psychiatrists testified on his behalf, as did Tony. Who had been paying for Bucky’s psychiatric treatment and rehab. Bucky had made excellent progress in the six months. It had not been easy but he had started coming out of his shell and slowly but surely regaining his memories and rebuilding his life and mental health. 

Winter was still a part of him, a separate personality, but not one that could take control. The psychiatrists called it Dissociative Identity Disorder, Bucky just called it the voice in his mind. 

With a full six months of no violence, and a good year of the same when he’d been hiding in Bucharest the courts did not feel he was a danger to anyone and acquitted him of the crimes he’d been facing making him a free man. 

Bucky chose to remain with Tony and Steve and to join the Avengers, having found himself a home with them and formed friendships with the team, (Even Deadpool, although he frequently threatened to strangle Wade to death.) 

 

*****

 

Eighteen months went by before Thanos attacked, giving Tony and the Avengers time to get the weapons into orbit around the planet, equip the compound for battle, and to build shelters in every major city around the world. 

While they hoped that they would bait Thanos with the Mind Stone enough to get him to the compound there was no guarantee of that and they wanted to keep civilian casualties to a minimum, so when Thanos attacked an immediate evacuation order would be put into place, with everyone being urged to go to the shelters, which had been built with vibranium from Wakanda who had joined the global effort in defended the planet. 

 

The attack started with Bruce crash landing in the Sanctum as Wong and Stephen were about to step out for some lunch. He told them of Thanos and Strange immediately went to alert Tony, finding him in Central Park with Steve and Lily. 

At nearly three years old she was walking and chattering, having grown into a happy and energetic toddler who was thoroughly spoiled by all of the Avengers. 

“Swings Daddy!” She cried tugging on Tony’s hand, to hurry him to the swings, 

“Yes, alright,” Tony laughed letting himself be pulled along, by the over excited toddler, 

“Are you sure you want to risk having another one?” Steve asked. He and Tony were considering asking Pepper to surrogate for them so they could give Lily a sibling. “Keep her out of trouble is a job and half as it is.” 

“Yeah but we have practice now.” Tony said, “And we can always enlist the others to help us, so we don’t get completely over-run.”

“Swings!” Lily cried, jumping up and down, 

“Are you sure about that?” Steve drawled, as the toddler dragged Tony to the swings. 

 

Tony had only been pushing Lily for five minutes when Strange arrived via portal with Bruce behind him, telling him of Thanos’ imminent arrival. 

With his expression hardening Tony lifted Lily out of the swing, “Lets get the evacuation in order and alert the teams and UN.” 

“On it.” Steve said already on his phone to call the compound, 

“Tony, what…” Bruce looked from the much larger and older Steve, to Lily, and then back to Tony. 

“Long story Bruce.” Tony said, “I’ll tell you enroute. Strange, I need to take Lily to Pepper and get them both to the shelters before I mobilize.” 

“Of course.” Strange said, opening another portal which took Tony to Pepper. 

 

Within an hour a ship at landed in New York and a couple of Aliens were standing in the street. 

“Recognize anyone?” Tony asked Steve who glared at the new comers, and nodded his head, 

“Ebony Maw and Corvus Glaive.” Steve said, “Ebony has telekinetic abilities among other things.”

“Hmm, fun.” Tony murmured, “Friday, do we have the codes from the UN?” 

“We do bossman and Vision had uploaded his, just waiting for yours and the weapons can be used.” 

Swiftly Tony put his code and gave targeting control to Rhodey and Vision were at the compound, 

“Get lost Squidward!” Tony yelled to Ebony Maw, “You’re not welcome on this planet, leave now and we don’t break you into little pieces.”

“Must you poke fun at the murderous Alien, Stark?” Strange asked, looking exasperated, 

“Absolutely.” Tony replied, “Rhodey, how long till the weapons in range?” 

“Two minutes,” Rhodey replied, “Are we targeting aliens or the ship?” 

“Ship first.” Tony said, “Then Squidward and Uncle festers uglier cousin.” 

“Bring me the stone.” Ebony ordered, Glaive, 

“Here we go.” Steve murmured readying his shield. 

 

Wong and Strange held off Ebony Maw while Tony and Steve fought with Glaive, counting down the minutes until Rhodey fired the weapon vaporizing the ship that they had come in. 

“No!” Ebony cried in utter shock, even Glaive was given pause as they stared at the fragments of their ship which floated in the air, raining down into the street like metallic hail.

“Would you care to reconsider your position?” Strange asked, mystical weapons conjured and ready for use, Ebony whirled back around with a snarl and lunged for Strange, only to be deflected by him and thrown down the road, 

“Now Rhodey!” Tony yelled, from the air as he blasted at Glaive’s back while Steve beat at his front with the shield, 

Rhodey fired again and Ebony Maw joined the ship leaving just a burn mark on the ground when he had been. Seconds later Tony and Steve disengaged from Glaive and he too was taken out. 

“Well, that wasn’t so hard,” Tony said, “I thought these fuckers were meant to be tough?” 

“Don’t get cocky,” Steve said, “Thanos will bring an army with him, and have the use of several stones, we need to get the compound and get ready.” 

 

*****

 

Every Superhero in the world was on alert and had taken to the streets along with the military to defend the shelters against Thanos’s forces. 

At the compound the Avengers gathered, leaving the defenders and Fantastic Four in the city to protect the shelters. The X-Men deployed throughout America to back up the military as they awaited Thanos. 

They didn’t have long to wait. The Mad Titan arrived with his army within hours, send hordes of Chitauri across the planet who were tackled by the various heroes and military forces, the Leviathans being targeted by the weapons and destroyed before they made ground fall. 

At the compound Bucky lead the charge against Cull Obsidian, backed up by Spider man and Deadpool. 

Rhodey lead the charge against Proxima Midnight, with Falcon and Hawkeye, backing him up. 

The new duo of Ant Man and Wasp backed up by Hulk, tackled the Chitauri that attacked, leaving Thanos to Vision, Strange, Steve and Tony. 

 

“Maximum effort!” Deadpool yelled leaping onto Cull’s back and stabbing him in the neck, “This reminds me of fighting Juganaught. Did I ever tell you about that?” He asked Bucky as the Super soldier beat off a couple of stray Chitauri, “We beat him by shoving an electric cable up his ass and the irony is I was fighting along side a guy called Cable!” He yelped as he was grabbed by the ankle and tossed into the side of the compound shattering the wall as he went, 

“Hey, that’s our Deadpool you’re damaging!” Peter yelled shooting web into Cull’s face, as Cull swung at him he webbed himself up onto a passing Leviathan out of reach and cheered as Wasp blasted the chitauri rider off it. 

Bucky’s metal fist hit Cull in the gut, then the face, and he emptied his mk5 into the creature managing to puncture it’s flesh creating a wide wound that leaked a black blood. Cull roared, backhanding Bucky across the field, he slammed into a couple of chitauri as he went, grabbing the neck of one and snapping it, he wrestled with the others, getting one of their staff weapons and stabbing the other then shooting the first. 

“Time to rock and roll!” Deapool exclaimed, charging out of the rubble, swinging his katana blades he decapitated a couple of chitauri as he made his way back to Cull, sliding under him and slashing his legs, a move that would have severed the limbs of a human but only scratched Cull, from the leviathan Peter flipped onto Cull’s shoulders and covered his head in webbing, blinding him and giving Bucky the chance to fire on him. He ran at Cull firing the staff weapon as he went and rammed it through the creature’s chest. 

Cull roared and flailed, vomiting blood that seeped through the web mask, from behind Deapool rammed his katanas into Cull as hard as he could, pushing his full weight behind them, skewering Cull on all three blades and holding him there until they were sure he was dead. 

“Now that’s my kind of three way!” Deadpool declared, “Talk about getting shafted!” 

“Go and take care of a few chitauri.” Bucky grumbled, pulling the staff free, “And get your tongue cut out while you’re at it!”

 

From the air Rhodey fired at Proxima who screeched in rage, firing her own weapon back at him as she set hyena like creatures on Hawkeye, whom Falcon lifted into the air out of their reach as he rained arrows down on them. 

“You will die alone, fool!” Proxima declared to Rhodey, 

“He’s not alone, bitch!” Bucky said from behind her and his metal fist smashed into her face. 

Proxima went down and one of the Hyena’s flew at Bucky, getting webbed by Peter before its jaws could land on him, “OHMYGOD they’re Wargs, there are wargs!” Peter cried, 

“Then I guess these guys are Orcs!” Ant Man panted, growing to ten foot tall and crushing several chitauri, as Hulk smashed a dozen more. 

“On my mark Sam, fire!” Rhodey ordered, together they rained down on Proxima, backed up by Bucky who fired the staff at her. They kept up the onslaught until she was gone, then turned their attention on the Hyena/warg creatures. 

 

Tony was in the air firing down on Thanos as Steve hurled his Shield at him, tackling the Titan in tandem. Beating the shield into Thanos’ face and head, Steve kept the Titan blind for Vision’s attack, ducking down as Vision used the mind stone, lashing out at Thanos and beating back for a few moments, then Thanos closed his fists and Vision was hurled across the battle field, slamming into Strange who had been dealing with several Chitauri and Hyena/Wargs. 

“You cannot defeat me.” Thanos declared, “I am inevitable.” 

“Fuck that shit.” Tony snarled, “I’m Iron Man.” He launched himself at Thanos locking himself around the Titans back, blasting them off the ground and them slamming them back down. He beat Thanos into the earth once, twice, three times, before Thanos seized hold of him by his right foot, dragging him forward and slammed him down into the ground on his back, then up and over his shoulder and back again. 

The face plate shattered as did part of the armour, Tony had blood running down his face and his leg was broken, but he managed to blast Thanos in the face, taking out one of his eyes before Steve launched another assault, just as reinforcements arrived. 

Thor leading a group of warriors from Space including a talking Racoon with a gun and a talking, walking tree! 

“Perhaps young Peter’s analogy of Wargs is correct since we now have Ents.” Vision observed to Tony, as he rose onto his left leg, keeping the right off the ground and balanced on his repulsors. 

“We have to get the glove off him.” Tony said, “We combine our power, severe his arm at the shoulder.” 

“Agreed.” Vision said. 

As one they moved, hurling themselves at Thanos, aiming the power of the repulsors and mind stone at Thanos’ shoulder. 

Seeing what they were doing, Steve stopped beating the shield into Thanos’ face and wedged it into his gauntlet to prevent him closing his fist. Roaring Thanos back handed Steve across the battle field and grabbed at the shield to pull it free, but he was too late, Tony lunged at him, grabbing onto his arm and yanked at the damaged flesh, ripping it off with an arc of blood. 

Thanos fell to his knees with a wounded cry, clutching at his stump, from behind him Thor charged, wielding Strom bringer and sliced off Thanos’ head. 

“Heads up Point break!” Tony called, hovering in the air, 

“Well met Man of Iron,” Thor greeted, he frowned as Steve joined them, face bloody and one shoulder clear dislocated, “You have aged and grown since last we met Captain.”

“That’s a long story.” Steve said wearily, he looked around the compound where Chitauri continued to fight, “And we still have work to do.”

“Aye, we well discuss all after we have vanquished our foes!” Thor declared jumping back into the fray. 

“Vanquished our foes?” Tony murmured, “Is he for real?” 

 

*****

 

It took three days for the last of the Thanos’ forces to be dealt with, and when they were the entire planet erupted into a celebration. 

On crutches for his leg, Tony watched the fireworks from the tower with Steve, Lily and the rest of the team, including the newly introduced Guardians of the Galaxy and Captain Marvel who had joined in, taking out several ships that had been just outside of orbit. 

“We actually did it.” Steve whispered, kissing Tony’s bruised cheek, “We actually won.” 

“We did.” Tony said, “Thanks to you.”

“I only…”

“Your coming here warned us, warned me. You gave us the chance to prepare and save ourselves.” He leaned into Steve’s chest, snuggling up to Lily, who was delighting in the fireworks exploding in the sky. “You and Lily are the best thing to ever happen to me Steven Rogers, don’t you ever think otherwise.”

 

*****

 

Epilogue

 

Shortly after defeating Thanos, Steve and Tony married in a small private ceremony, attended only by their friends and family.   
Both retired from the Avengers, Steve handed over being Captain America to Bucky, while Tony handed the Mantle of Iron Man to Rhodey, as they headed up state with Lily to a lake house, where they were joined nine months later by another daughter they named Morgan, that Pepper surrogated. 

She was a little darker in colouring than Lily, but just as beautiful. Lily was fascinated by having a little Sister to play with, insisting on “Helping” which meant that bathtime resulted in the bathroom being flooded every day, and Morgan’s nappies declared disgusting, by the growing girl. 

However when Morgan’s first word was “Lily.” It was more than worth it. 

Months later, Steve and Tony sat on the deck watching with fond smiles, as Lily, held Morgan’s hands as she carefully toddled on the grass to their play tent, where Lily had an Iron Man mask and a Captain America Shield. 

“We’re gonna save the world today Morgan!” She declared to her baby sister, “Captain Iron Girl to the rescue, all enemies will be disintegrated!”

“Captain Iron Girl?” Steve asked Tony who grinned and shook his head, 

“God help any villain who dares try and fight her.”

The two shared a lingering kiss and looked back down at their daughters, tomorrow the team would arrive for the annual celebration on defeating Thanos, but for this evening it was just them and their family, enjoying the sunset and superhero games.


End file.
